Master of Ages
by Edgy23
Summary: Ash gets sucked into an alternate reality, one where he never set out on his pokemon journey. Fans of long, original fics should check this out. My first fic!!!
1. Epic I

**Disclaimer: **I don't own pokemon...blah. blah. blah. I'm not making a profit out of this. Yes, I am POOR!!! The only thing I might own are some pocket monsters I may have created just for this story(i.e.Chronine, Watchdawg, Broluga, Grumpback, or Fullfrog or Tadwart)...but I'm still poor damn you!!!   
**Author's Note: **This is my first attempt to write a fanfic. C&C and flames are welcome at edgeknght@earthlink.net. Think of the plot as a mix of Pokemon and Chrono Cross. Basically I just asked myself what would the pokemon world be like if Ash never set out on his journey. A dark entity five years into the future kidnaps Ash the night he was supposed to set out on his journey. Before Ash gets erased from existence, an extradimensional pokemon called Chronine pulls him out of his world and sends him into an alternate future to prevent his own kidnapping. In this world, ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT, since Ash never appeared in the lives of Misty, Brock, Tracey, Team Rocket, etc.. So far I haven't seen it done as a fanfic, so if someone e-mails me saying it's already been done, screw you. It takes place after the Johto Journeys regardless of whether Ash wins or not( I think he's gonna lose, but I may be wrong). This long story will have a mix of action, adventure, romance(AAML, JAJL), and light drama. And to Team Rocket fans, I apologize in advance since they're not gonna appear until the next episode, but when they do, they're gonna make you tremble in your underwear with their lovely, charming power!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

**THE MASTER OF AGES**   
by the Edgeknight 

**PROLOGUE**

"Wow, this place seems perfect for a catch!" Misty said.   
She propped up the kickstand on her bike and ran down to a riverside near Viridian. Asides from her pokemon, her bike was her only companion. Though she denied it to herself, inwardly she thirsted for some form of companionship. It's been almost 3 days since she had run away from home. Her sisters had pushed her to the limit during her last training session, and she had just broken up with her second boyfriend. Whatever boy she seemed to place her heart on, she just couldn't stand their wimpiness, and they couldn't stand her domineering abrasiveness. Her aggressive personality always seemed to overpower the sweeter, compassionate side of her being.   
As she fixed the lure to her rod, she thought of how her life was going to be without the comfort and safety of home. What about food? She knows how to cook, not a lot, but enough to survive. What about money? She can use her personal Cerulean Gym ATM Card. Her sisters can't pull the plug on it no matter what, she thought to herself. What about protection? You never know if a psycho or a pedophile might be out there just waiting to prey on a lonely girl. No sweat! All her pokemon are fierce fighters, ready to defend both her life and her virtue at any cost. 

With all her worries set aside, she flung her line into the water, propping the rod under one leg. She had just come from Viridian City, and didn't wish to return. Rumor had it Viridian was under control of the infamous Team Rocket, whom she had always hated. Hated because they had tried to muscle their influence in Cerulean, almost taking over the gym, and somehow...she always had the feeling they had something to do with the death of her parents.   
Misty, wondering where to go next, pulled out a map of the area, "Hmm....next closest town is...Pallet Town. Aw man! It doesn't have a Pokemon Center!!! Well...I guess I can get something to eat there at least." she thought to herself. Putting the map the away, she resumed fishing, hopeful to catch her next dinner instead of having to buy it. Suddenly, she felt a tug from her fishing line. "Hey, I got a bite! Oh wow, I really think this could be a big one!" With all her strength, she secured her footing and pulled the rod with all her might, careful not to overdo it. She pulled something heavy out of the water.   
"Awww, it's just a Magikarp..." 

**CHAPTER 1: SEED OF LIGHT**

"Hang on, Pikachu!!!" Ash yells, eyeing his opponent's Rhydon.   
After his journeys in the Johto League, he's grown much from the immature, clueless trainer he had started off as. He gained an uncanny sense for sizing up his opponents and exploiting their weaknesses. It had developed to the point of second nature. No...instinct. Misty and Brock looked on as Ash calmed himself down and devised his strategy.   
"Rhydon, Earthquake!!!" his opponent yelled.   
"Pikachu! Use your tail and bounce up!!!"   
The ground rumbled and shook, making everyone lose their footing. Falling on his butt and losing his league cap, Ash still remained focused on Pikachu. He's still in the air. Misty and Brock, looking up to see if Ash is okay, are surprised to see him still focused on the match.   
"Pikachu, bounce off Rhydon's head!!!"   
With unprecedented speed, Pikachu catapulted off Rhydon's head, flipping into the air with the grace of a dancer.   
"Pikachu, use that attack we were working on before! Stonecutter!!!"   
"KAAAAAAAAACHUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!"   
Brock looked on, awestruck by the terrifying attack. Pikachu put his hands on his electric sacs to shape his electricity. Instead of using the usual continuous flow of electricity, Pikachu concentrated all of his lightning into two large, concentrated, razor-like bolts. The two tore through the air, and suddenly...   
Chip...BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!   
Misty looked at the explosion, and then towards Ash, half-admiring, half-fearful at the same time. She admired the little boy, who looked even better now since the cap, which usually hid his features, fell off his head, but she feared his ability, something which she had made fun of earlier in their journeys together with good reason. She still joked about his skill as a Pokemon trainer now and again, but ever since his victory in the Orange League plus his experiences in Johto, and the cunning, ferocious style in which he battled with his pokemon, her jokes were starting to wear thin, and worst of all, she   
knew it.   
Pikachu landed safely on the ground, turning a gaze over his little shoulder, seeing the Rhydon on the ground, moaning. It was hurt. Bad. Real bad.   
"Ash, you're supposed to make it faint, not die!!! There's something called "overkill" ya know!!!" Misty yelled.   
Brock jumped in quickly, "Don't worry about it, guys. Rock pokemon's vital organs are deep in their bodies. This one's only cut on the surface."   
"That's what I intended, Misty!" Ash retorts.   
"Yeah, right...!" Misty re-retorts.   
"Rhydon, return!" Ash's opponent yelled. His opponent, an 18-year old super nerd, gets upset at seeing his Rhydon get rocked by a Pikachu, who was obviously at a serious disadvantage. Wanting to distract Ash, he says,"I see you have exceptional control over your Pokemon, but none over your little girlfriend over there!"   
Simultaneously, Ash and Misty blush and say,   
"I'm not his girlfriend!!!"   
"She's not my girlfriend!!!"   
Brock looked on, thinking to himself, "Geez, those two have changed a lot since I've last seen them."   
Ash's opponent, successful at riling up and distracting Ash, pulls out a pokeball, "Go, Alakazam!!! Psychic Attack!!!" Ash and Pikachu are startled. Before Alakazam could pull off its Psychic Attack, he quickly reacted.   
"Pikachu, cover your eyes quick!!!"   
A wave of massive psychic energy swept across the field, passing over Pikachu, fazing him slightly, but having little effect. Pikachu stood up, ready for action.   
"How...?" his opponent asks, standing in shock.   
Misty, impressed by Ash's move, explains, "Hah! Ash figured you'd use a psychic attack with a psychic pokemon. All psychic attacks come in through the eyes. If you close'em hard enough, a lot of the attack is blunted off. How about that?"   
"Misty, we don't need the science lesson!!! Can't you see I'm in the middle of a battle?!" Ash says.   
"Yah, we don't need you cheerleading your little boyfriend, now do we?" his opponent says. 

"Okay...THAT'S IT!!! I'M NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!!!"   
She puts her hand in her red bookbag, pulling out a handle. Brock, knowing exactly what she is about to pull out and what she's going to do with it, quickly restrains her.   
"GGGGRRRRRRRR!!! I NEVER LIKED HIM!!! NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL!!!," she continues, her eyes glaring red.   
Brock, barely able to keep Misty back, yells, "Ash, the match!!!"   
"Oh, right. Pikachu, Thunder Attack!!!"   
"PIIIKAAAAA....!!!"   
His opponent commands,"Alakazam, counter with Psywave!!!"   
"ALAAAKAAAA...!!!"   
Both attacks are unleashed simultaneously.   
"CHHHHHHUUUUUUU!!!!!!!"   
"ZAAAAAAAMMMMM!!!!!!!" 

The combined energies explode, the thrust of the explosion sending Pikachu flying towards Ash. Ash quickly catches Pikachu, but also notices something bizarre. The explosion hadn't dissipated, but instead was gaining size and coming towards Ash.   
"WAAAAHHHH!!!" he yelped.   
He attempted to escape, but to no avail. The explosion had engulfed Ash. After the explosion cleared up, and everyone had come to their senses, Ash was nowhere to be found. Nothing could've survived that blast. He was gone. 

**CHAPTER 2: AT THE CROSSROADS**

"Whoa...what...what happened? Pikachu, are you okay? Misty? Brock? Hello??!!!"   
Ash and Pikachu awoke, finding themselves in a dark atmosphere. They stood on their feet, looking at the surroundings,   
and saw nothing save for a strange stairway leading upwards.   
"No it can't be. Is this heaven? Am I dead?" he said to himself.   
"No, you're not dead, dummy" a voice in the distance said.   
"Hey, who was that?"   
"Walk up the staircase quickly. We must talk."   
Pikachu chimed in his two cents,"Pika-pi. Pikachu-pi-ka-kachu (Ash, we don't have much choice)"   
"You're right. Let's go."   
Ash walked up the stairway. The climb seemed eternal, yet he noticed something weird about the steps. Each step was made of crystal, and at one point Ash stopped to look at one in particular. All the steps had moving images, almost as if each were showing a movie, images of the life of an individual. The woman in this particular step seemed familiar.   
"Mom?"   
He sees her telling him to go to bed early to start his pokemon journey tomorrow. Another image came up. It was a younger version of his mother, strikingly beautiful, and dating a very slick looking guy.   
"Delia, I'm thinking of starting up a business. I've talked to some friends and we're all very interested in advanced aerospace and rocketry."   
"Who's that scummy looking guy? Ewww, they're kissing!!!" Ash facefaults.   
"Chaaa!!! (What the?...)" Pikachu concurs.   
Another image came up. The younger version of his mom was yelling.   
"It's over between us! I knew you had dreams of starting your corporation, but I...I can't be with someone who would resort to organized crime!!!"   
"But Delia..."   
"Listen, Giovanni. You have a choice. Me...or Team Rocket."   
Ash looks in wonder, "Giovanni? Team Rocket?" 

The distant voice called Ash again.   
"You've seen enough. Step on the next step. It is the step of your life."   
"Okay."   
Ash stepped on the next step. As soon as his foot landed, he noticed his step was frigid, and all the images were frozen.   
"It's freezing!!!"   
All of a sudden, his step disappeared in a flash of light, and transfomed into a floor that expanded into a long hallway. At the very end of hall was a tall throne. A voice from the throne called Ash.   
"Step forward, boy"   
He walked down, looking at the seeming infinite number of staircases that lined the hallway, until he had finally reached the throne.   
"Well, what now?"   
"Pika pika chu pika chu chu (Enough of this Simon Says crap..)"   
A dark figure jumped from the throne, quickly materializing from the black of the air. It had the face of a doberman, fierce and dark, with a bulked up body, a narrow waist, and legs that were bulky yet elegant at the same time. It carried an hourglass, with one side carrying the icon of the sun, and the other end carrying the icon of the moon. The creature frightened both Ash and Pikachu, so much that they both fell back in fear.   
As soon as he fell on the ground, a copious cluster of strange dog-like creatures with clocks on their bellies materialized around him.   
They chanted,"Watchdawg...Watchdawg....Dawg?"   
"WAAAAHHHHH?!"yells Ash.   
"PIKAAAAAAAA?!"yells Pikachu.   
"SHUSH!!!!!!" the dark monster said.   
Ash looks on at the monster.   
"Huh?"   
The monster stood in front of Ash, and look down towards the little boy and his Pikachu.   
"You are puny. It is hard to believe you will become the one who will be known as the Master of Ages."   
Ash, stunned by his mere presence, responds, "Master...of Ages?!" 

Ash pulled out Dexter and had him scan both the smaller monsters, and then the larger monster.   
"Pokemon unknown. No available data."Dexter responds.   
The larger monster let out his fearsome claw, touching the pokedex. Dexter reacted mysteriously.   
"Chronine, the space-time pokemon, the evolved form of Watchdawg. This pokemon controls the flow of time and space with its mystical hourglass. Its psychic and dark energies are infinite and otherworldly, thus making this pokemon impossible to capture.   
Ash, surprised by Chronine's awesome powers, flashes Dexter's lens at the flying dogs.   
"Watchdawg, the life guardian pokemon. This pokemon maintains the time created by individual humans. The length of its tail is related to the length of the life of the human it protects. 

"Chronine, where am I? Why am I here? What happened to my friends Misty and Brock?" Ash said, holding back unsuccessfully, his tears.   
"Do not fear me, child. Fear not me, but the trials yet to come."   
"Huh?"   
"Pika?"   
Chronine waves his paw, and all the Watchdawgs recede into the background as our heroes are magically transported to another plane. A panorama of images swirled around them. Some of the images seemed familiar.   
"Hey look, Pikachu! That's when I was at the Indigo League! Wow! And look, that's when we fought our first battle against Jesse and James. Huh? Maiden's Peak...Misty...that night..."   
"Pikapi..."   
Chronine growled, "Silence!!! Listen to me, Ash, Pikachu!"   
They both stood silent and listened. Chronine continued.   
"These are images of a life you once had, but that has been taken from you. These are now just figments of your imagination"   
"Whaddya mean? That's my life your talking about!!!"   
"Not anymore. You never did any of the things you see here. All of your history is gone. Listen to me, young boy and listen well. Someone tore into the fabric of space-time, and kidnapped you in your sleep the night before you set out on your pokemon journey. As a result, none of what you remember in your mind ever came to pass."   
"You mean?"   
"Yes Ash...look at these."   
Chronine summoned another swirling set of images, some too disturbing to watch. Ash started looking from the top. A figure in the shadows was talking to Ash's archenemies approvingly.   
"Jesse. James. Meowth. The three of you have captured and stolen pokemon for our organization with efficiency and exemplary cunning. As a result, you are all to be promoted to Team Rocket's global ops division."   
Ash was unable to speak, completely shocked by what he saw. He set a gaze towards an image of his mom, sitting at the table, looking towards her garden, which was perfectly barren. She held a flower in her hand.   
"She's...she's holding my favorite flower, Pikachu..."   
Another image showed Brock, still at the Pewter Gym.   
"Geez, another month like this and this gym might get foreclosed. Maybe I should sell it. Mr. Giovanni said he'd be interested..."   
A larger image showed a sad Tracey, at the world famous Pokemon Symposium, with a fat pokologist.   
"Frankly, I don't know why you even bother with your profession. You're more suited to draw for the funny papers than to do research for any of the scientists of this respected group. Get out!!!"   
Finally, he looked at an image at the very bottom. It was Misty at the riverside, the very river in which she caught Ash the first day of his journey.   
"Hey, I got a bite! Oh wow, I really think this could be a big one!"   
Ash looks at Misty, happy to see her, yet disturbed by what was to follow.   
"Ahhh, it's just a Magikarp...may as well capture it."   
Ash continued looking, feeling emptier and emptier each second as the image of Misty continued.   
"Hmm...a storm's coming up. I should head to Pallet Town."   
Misty passed Ash's house, running into Professor Oak and Ash's Mom.   
"Ma'am, are you okay?" Misty asks.   
"Little girl, this lady's son has been mysteriously kidnapped. We're currently searching for him. I suggest you return to your parents or whomever your guardians are immediately." Professor Oak says.   
"Oh...I'm sorry...I hope you find your son real soon. Sorry to bother you," Misty speaks while running away.   
"Misty...,"Ash muttered under his breath.   
The last image he saw of her was her heading back to Cerulean City.   
"Chronine, we have to do something!"Ash growled.   
"Kachu! (Ready for action!)" Pikachu responded.   
"Perfect, now you're ready for the mission at hand, and a daunting mission it is. Ash, Pikachu, this journey will be like none that you have ever encountered. Enemies will become friends, friends will become enemies, loyalties will be tested, and the dangers will be far greater than the mere criminal organization you know as Team Rocket. No, in the end you will find you are your own worst enemy. And the risk is high, for both your existences and of the friends you knew are at the ultimate stake."   
Ash, as dense as he can be, had a rare illuminated moment and asked, "Both our existences...Chronine? If all this really happened, aren't I not supposed to be here? Shouldn't I just've been erased from existence if I never went on my pokemon journey?"   
Chronine answered"When there's a change in time, the timeline takes a while to realign. I pulled you out of your timeline just before you were erased from existence. That explosion you experienced provided enough energy to pull you out of the continuum."   
"Chronine, how am I gonna go about regaining my life again?"   
"I was getting to that. The disruption in time will occur five years ahead of your time. You and Pikachu will be sent five years to the future to investigate and prevent your kidnapping. It is also advised that you destroy all related time-travel research as well so that it won't fall into the wrong hands as it has already."   
"Pika-pika chu pika? (I have a question?...)   
"Sorry, Pikachu, no more time for questions. You'll have to ask the escort I'm providing you."   
Chronine snaps his pads and says, "Watchdawg #122349588477382993, step forward."   
A small, weird-looking Watchdawg floated awkwardly towards its king, "Woooof...Satoshi reporting,"the Watchdawg barked. It floated next to Ash.   
"This is the human you were assigned to. Prepare a wormhole for five years into the future."   
"Woooof...,"Satoshi responded. With a wind of its clock, it created a wormhole. 

Chronine halted our two heroes,"Ash, Pikachu, before you go, take these."   
He handed them two biscuits and commanded, "Eat them while you're in the wormhole."   
"WAAAHHH! You want us to eat dog biscuits?!"Ash snorted.   
"They'll provide you with the power you need to complete your mission."   
"Uh, okay. Here, Pikachu."   
"Cha...(Oh well...)." 

As the three jumped into the wormhole, Chronine thought to himself, "That little boy...Master of Ages. Hard to believe. It's better that he doesn't know this, but he holds the fate of everyone in his little hand." 

**CHAPTER 3: THE INVINCIBLE WATERFLOWER**

At the foot of Mt. Moon, Ash, Pikachu, and his new friend, the Watchdawg called Satoshi, materialized.   
"Well Pikachu, I guess we're here!"   
Without warning, Pikachu shocked Ash and jumped off his head, and made a threatening pose toward him. Ash, bewildered by his behavior, snaps at Pikachu.   
"Pikachu, what's wrong? What? My voice? What happened to my voice? I feel different..."   
"Pika! Pika! (Who are you?)" Pikachu snarled.   
"The both of you stop!!!" Satoshi woofed.   
Ash and Pikachu simultaneously facefaulted, surprised to hear Satoshi say something other than "Wooof".   
"Those biscuits you ate have aged all of you five years. Ash, you're 17, Pikachu, you're 7. There's no way you can complete the mission having the bodies you had before. It'll take some getting used to, but you have two weeks to complete this mission. If it's not completed by then, disastrous chronological repercussions might take place in your world." 

Ash looked at the time on his watch. It was gonna get dark soon, and the closest city was Cerulean. The trio had concurred that staying at the Pokemon Center in Cerulean would be the next best step. Before he could even take a step, Ash notices something about his attire.   
"My briefs are kinda tight."   
He looks down and blushes.   
"WAAAAAHHH!!! My clothes!!!"   
Satoshi and Pikachu facefault.   
"What am I gonna do? I can't walk around town like this!!!"   
Satoshi floated towards Ash while Pikachu rolled on the ground laughing,"No problem, Ash. I can make you some clothes." It waved its paw, and an envelopment of light surrounded Ash, quickly materializing into pretty hip gear.   
"Wha..!?" Ash reacted as he saw that he was no longer in torn up kids clothes, but in good attire. He sported beige khakis, a white T-shirt with a league symbol, and a short leather jacket with a pokeball embroidered on each shoulder, "Hey, these aren't half bad, and these boxers make me feel so free...but my league cap is still missing."   
"You dropped it in the explosion, and I used up all my energy making you those clothes. You'll have to do without it for now. I tied your hair into a small tail, if you don't mind."   
"Mmmm...okay..."   
And so our heroes travel to Cerulean City, wondering what would happen next on their journey. 

Somewhere, at one of the Team Rocket sub-base research labs.   
"May, is the stasis cell okay?"   
"Yes, brother. Ash and his Pikachu are still sound asleep!"   
"Good. Giovanni is coming tomorrow to see our captives in person. Afterwards, we will proceed with Phase 3 of Operation Shockvolution"   
"Right. Now, proceed with the IV. We can't have our little Ashy and his cute little friend starve on us, now can we?"   
"Yes, brother. By the way, grandfather called and asked for his golf clubs."   
"Grrrrrr...." 

It was around 6:30 PM, when Ash and friends arrived in Cerulean.   
"You know, Satoshi, perhaps it'd be best if you went into a pokeball. You're technically an undiscovered pokemon, and if other trainers saw you with me, we'd be swarmed by people aching for a battle."Ash suggested.   
"Good idea."   
"Satoshi, return!" Ash said as he pointed one of his empty pokeballs at Satoshi.   
As he was resisting the urge to say "Yes, I've caught Watchdawg!!!", Pikachu started jumping up and down, pointing at some kind of flier on the ground.   
"Huh?! What's the matter, Pikachu?"   
Ash picked up the flyer, which read: 

COME ONE!!! COME ALL!!!   
The Sensational Cerulean City Swimming Sisters Present the Underwater Play   
Siren's Song, debuting the world famous Pokemon Master   
in her glorious return from the Indigo League   
MISTY "THE INVINCIBLE" WATERFLOWER!!! 

"WAAAHHH!!!?"   
Ash was stunned, not so much by the fact Misty was performing the old water show, but by how she was described in the flyer. She was a Pokemon Master, fresh off a victory in the Indigo League, apparently. She somehow gained the moniker, the Invincible. Though he had just planned to stay the night at the Pokemon Center, Ash just couldn't resist the tempting opportunity to see how Misty turned out in this alternate world. All her sisters seemed to be on the flyer, all looking slightly older, with a silhouette of a curvacious figure in the center.   
"Geez, well I guess we're in for a surprise tonight, eh Pikachu?"   
"Pika-pi, pika cha chu ka-pi (Ash, I have a bad feeling...) 

"Another night of this and I'm gonna blow chunks. Violet writes the most awful scripts."   
The brunette hung out next to the poolside, dangling her finger into the water, playing with the reflection of herself in the water. She pulled out one of her pokeballs, calling out Starmie into the water.   
"Hi, Starmie. Rough night, huh?"   
Starmie responded, using its own peculiar sounds.   
"It's been a while since I've been back here, yet every time I come here, the place feels colder each time. I should be getting ready for that blind date Daisy set up for me, but I'm not the least bit interested. I feel more like a battle. I just want a little freedom, you know..I" 

The doors to the pool swung open.   
"HELLLOOO???!!!!" a strange voice called in the distance. It was Ash.   
"WHO'S THERE???!!! Man, must be my blind date...," the brunette muttered under her breath.   
She looked at the entrance, but couldn't make out who was there, until a few seconds later she saw something small and yellow heading towards her.   
"Is that a...Pikachu?" she asked herself.   
"Cha!!! (Misty!!!)"Pikachu cheered. 

"Eeeeeek!!!" the brunette screeched. Pikachu jumps into her arms delighted, but only for a short while.   
"Pika? (What?")"   
"AAAAAHHHH!!!!! Get away from me!!!" the girl continued yelling.   
"Pikachu, come back!!!" Ash growled. He jumps away from the brunette, running behind Ash's leg.   
"Chu-pika...(Something's wrong)"Pikachu spoke.   
"WHAT KIND OF BLIND DATE ARE YOU IF YOU'RE GONNA SCARE ME WITH A PIKACHU?"   
"You're afraid...of Pikachus?"Ash questioned on.   
The girl answered,"Yes!!! And just for that little stunt, I'm breaking off our date!!!"the brunette snarled.   
"Date?"   
"Don't act stupid! You're my blind date, aren't you?"   
"Uh, actually no. I came to find a girl named Misty."   
The brunette surprised Ash by saying,"Well, I'm Misty, and if you're not my blind date, but came to see me anyway, you must be a challenger!!!"   
"Misty?"   
Ash facefaulted and lightly blushed. He looked at her from head to toe, taking in every curve slowly and nervously. Drops of water glistened from her shoulders and cleavage, catching light from the huge overhead bulbs that adorned the roof of the gym. She was still in the mermaid outfit, the mermaid fin and clamshell bra fitted to her figure. Yet something was amiss. Her crowning glory, the old red hair in a pigtail wasn't there. Instead, he saw chocolate brown hair cascading into faint curls.   
"Geez, he's cute, but what a loser. Can't keep his eyes off me..." she thought to herself.   
"Well, I guess I know how Brock feels..."Ash thought to himself, almost snickering.   
"What are you waiting for then, wimp? Let's get this show on the road!!! I challenge you to a battle!!!"   
Ash, never backing down from a challenge, goes along, but not before he and Pikachu both unleashed the hugest sweatdrops they could make.   
"Now I know time is screwed up if Misty's challenging me to a battle...," he thought to himself. 

**CHAPTER 4: MERMAID'S HEART**

A calm breeze blew throughout the gym. Misty had changed from her mermaid outfit to what she called her ceremonial combat gear. She wore a tight fitting short-sleeve T-shirt, accentuating her curvy body, a moderately sized Goldeen skirt, with Goldeen body decor at the ends, a sash which belonged to her father, which she personally tailored to match her shirt, and a Gyarados belt.   
"Since I'm the pokemon master here, I'll make the rules. This will be a 3 on 3 match with no time limit. Just before we start I'd like you to know I finished first place in the Indigo League. I defeated three of the Elite Four, and tied with Lance the Dragon Trainer. When I turn 21, I get to join their Elite. Do you still want to go through with our match?"   
Ash quivered, but quickly regained his courage,"Elite or no elite, you're gonna lose!"   
"Hah! Well then, why not make the match interesting then?"   
"Whaddya mean?"   
"If you win, not only do you get my coveted Ocean Badge, but a date with me, and I'll pay!"   
"Huh?!" Ash thought to himself. Since he's ever know Misty, he had always had reservations about her, stemming more from immature fears than how he actually felt about her. He liked her, he really did, but a date with Misty was something he thought he couldn't handle, even if he had evolved to a 17 year old. He had no choice now. By some strange twist of fate, he was facing an alternate Misty who was in essence a stranger, five years older than the Misty that traveled with him in his reality. All he could do was fight, and possibly gain a powerful ally in the process, and perhaps his old friend back.   
"Alright then!!! Bet's on!"Ash barked.   
"Misty calls Fullfrog!!!"   
"Hmm...Fullfrog?!" Ash mumbles as he pulls out Dexter.   
"Fullfrog, the fat frog pokemon, the evolved form of Tadwart, a cousin of Poliwag. Unlike its relatives in the Poliwrath family, the Fullfrog species evolves into fully developed frogs, gaining both Water and Dark properties.   
Ash starts pleading to Pikachu, "Pikachu, I know you don't like fighting Misty, but this isn't the same Misty we knew. If we're gonna try and win her confidence, we have to beat her at her game."   
"Pika-kachu cha pika PIKA!!!(I don't like this, but you're right. HERE GOES!!!)"   
Before Ash could call out Pikachu, Satoshi jumped out of his pokeball. 

"Woooof.."   
"Satoshi...You wanna battle?" Ash asked him.   
"Woooof.."   
"I guess that means yes. Satoshi, I choose you!!!"   
Misty looked at the ridiculous looking Watchdawg and, holding back some laughter, pulled out her Aquadyne. It functioned like a pokedex, but was shaped like a drop of water, responded by voice command, and had a sexy voice to boot.   
"Aquadyne, identify pokemon!" Misty ordered.   
"Pokemon unknown. No data accessible." Aquadyne replied.   
"Well whatever it is, it doesn't stand a chance against Fullfrog! Fullfrog, Black Mist attack now!!!"   
It unleashed a black-bluish smog from its mouth that seemed to sparkle as it floated across the water field.   
"Satoshi, what attacks can you do?" Ash asked the levitating dog.   
"Ash, I'll communicate my attacks to you telepathically, and you repeat my words to execute, okay"   
The two linked minds and Ash said"Right! Nowww...uhh...Satoshi, Howl Attack!!!"   
Satoshi let loose a weird howl that unleashed strange sonic waves into the the air. In the blink of an eye, the sonic waves tore through the Black Mist attack and into Fullfrog. The sheer force of the blast thrust Fullfrog back through the air, flying over Misty's head, crashing into the wall adorned with the painting of Lapras. 

"Im...Impossible..."Misty spoke angrily as she recalled the fainted Fullfrog,"Grrrrr...you know kid, you should at least have the courtesy of introducing yourself before you faint my pokemon!!!"   
"Name's Ash. Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town."   
"Pallet?...Sounds familiar...well wherever you came from, you're gonna wish you stayed home!!! Go Dragonite!!!   
Ash stood still, remembering the last Dragonite he battled,"Dragonite!!! Aw man, the last Dragonite I encountered took 4 pokemon to beat..."he muttered.   
Satoshi floated around until it finally ran back into its pokeball, "Ash, I can't continue. I don't have much experience in combat, and Watchdawgs easily tire down. Rely on your skill. You can beat her!!!"   
"Pika-pi-chu(Ash, come on!)"   
"Well, what're you waiting for, loser? Call out your pokemon!" Misty yelled.   
"I guess I should try my luck with...Snorlax!, Go!!"   
The hefty, refrigerator-raiding, culinary terrorist, Snorlax, comes out, materializing on one of the floating platforms, still asleep.   
"Oh yeah, kid. That's clever, sending out a sleeping pokemon. Dragonite, Blizzard!!! Misty ordered.   
Dragonite unleashed Blizzard, but before it could reach Snorlax, both Snorlax and the platform sunk beneath the water, while the Blizzard attack froze the surface of the pool.   
"MMM....SNOOOOORRRR...lax!"   
"Great! The water woke him up just as I planned!"Ash thought to himself, "Snorlax, Pinpoint and Hyper Beam!"   
Ash loved the sheer power of Snorlax, so much that he trained it to strike at sensitive body parts with his created TM, Pinpoint, increasing the likelihood of a critical hit. Dragonite looked for Snorlax, unable to see it through the mix of ice, water platforms, and stage props leftover from the water show. Snorlax's body color also didn't help Dragonite, as it camouflaged it against the blue water.   
Out of nowhere, a horrid beam cut through the platform, passing through the Dragonite's legs, and ultimately striking full force into its jaw. It sent Dragonite up, then down splashing underneath the water.   
Misty stood in shock, seeing her world-famous Dragonite, feared even among the Elite Four, getting rocked by a no-name kid.   
"Dragonite!!! You still have some HP left!!! Slam attack it underwater!!!"   
Little did Misty know Ash's Snorlax was not only extremely agile for a pokemon its size, but it was an adept swimmer. It was too quick for Dragonite.   
"Snorlax!!! Headbutt, full strength!!!" Ash roars with confidence.   
"LAXXX!!!" 

An impact was heard, but neither Ash or Misty was able to tell which attack landed. Dragonite surfaced belly up, with Snorlax jumping out of the water, landing on the huge block of ice and waving its blubber in victory.   
"Alright Snorlax!!! You're getting a big meal on me after the match!!! Return!!!"Ash yelled, jumping for joy and making a peace sign.   
"This...this can't be happening...Dragonite return!!!"Misty says, impressed by Ash's tactics," Kid, I have to hand it to you. The only person to go toe to toe with me like this was Lance himself. But even he was barely able to handle this pokemon. Go, Grumpback!!!"   
"GRUMP!!!"   
"WAAAHHH!!! It's bigger than Dragonite!!!," Ash exclaimed as he pulled out Dexter.   
"Grumpback, the whale pokemon, the evolved form of Broluga. Its size and strength are feared throughout the oceans of the world. Though it is mainly a water type, it's outer skin produces electricity, making it an electric type as well"   
"Aww man...Snorlax needs to rest up after battling Dragonite, and Satoshi is probably still pooped out. Squirtle, Bulbasaur...no, they aren't gonna be able to handle a pokemon that size. Charizard'll lose easy."   
"PIKA!!! (I'LL DO IT!!!)"Pikachu jumped in, eager to test itself against another electric type.   
"Do you really think you can win, Pikachu?" Ash inquired.   
"Pika! Chu-pi-cha-pika(Of course! We can pull it off!)" Pikachu said, charging his electric sacs. 

Before Ash could call out Pikachu, Satoshi jumped out of the pokeball and psychically linked to Pikachu.   
"Pikachu, I will teach you a new TM even more powerful than Thunder. It is less accurate, so you need to do it up close."   
Satoshi touched Pikachu's forehead and instantly its knowledge was transferred to Pikachu.   
"Ash, I taught your Pikachu the attack, Electrolysis. You have to get him up close somehow. You can do it!,"   
"Right!!! Go Pikachu!!!"yelled Ash as Pikachu flew forward and Satoshi went back into its pokeball.   
Misty, with all the overconfidence in the world says,"Hah, this match'll be mine! Grumpback, Tsunami attack!!!" A massive tidal wave formed from Grumpback's fins, barreling towards Pikachu.   
"Pikachu, time to hang 10! Grab onto a platform!!!"   
Pikachu chooses a platform, digging his claws into the surface.   
"Pikachu!!! Surf!!!" Ash commands.   
An experienced surfer, Pikachu rode the wave that Grumpback unleashed, dodging the attack successfully, but ramming into some fake coral, dislodging him from his surfboard. He lands somewhere in the water.   
"Grumpback, Pikachu's disoriented! Dive underwater and use Fin Strike!!!" Misty ordered.   
Before Pikachu could regain his senses, Misty's Grumpback swam to him and unleashed a massive fin smackdown on Pikachu, swatting him across the pool, hitting the back wall of the pool underwater.   
"Hang in there, Pikachu!!!" 

Fortunately for Pikachu, the water cushioned the impact he received hitting the wall. But Grumpback was zeroing in on Pikachu, still against the wall.   
"Grumpback, full Body Slam!!!"   
"Pikachu, swim up and use Double Team!!!"   
The little mouse barely escaped Grumpback's attack, and made several copies of itself with Double Team Attack. The behemoth whale was confused.   
"Grumpback! Swipe that Double Team away with Fin Strike!!!"   
Ash, seeing the futility of his strategy, quickly remembers Pikachu needs oxygen.   
"Quick, Pikachu!!! Swim into that fake coral. Find an air pocket!"   
Misty thinks to herself, "Air pocket? How did he know about those?", and suddenly yelled out,"Grumpback, destroy the fake coral with your Body Slam!!!"   
She commanded too late. Pikachu reached the fake coral just in time to breathe just before Grumpback destroyed the fake coral. But Pikachu was nowhere to be seen. Grumpback emerged, looking everywhere to find Pikachu, but in vain. Ash was heartbroken as the seconds passed and still no sign of Pikachu.   
"Hmm, where's your little Pikachu, Ash?"Misty jeered, "I guess I win this one by default since he hasn't surfaced. But we should look for him, just to make my victory official."   
"Grrrr...He was my friend!!! You apologize for that!!!" Ash yelled, trying to hold back his tears.   
"Huh?!" Misty gasped and muttered surprisedly to herself, "He must've really cared for it..."   
A remorseful Misty ordered, "Grumpback, look for Pikachu!"   
But as Grumpback surfaced and turned towards its master, Ash noticed a familiar yellow speck clinging to one of Grumpback's humps.   
With vengeance, Ash quickly yelled,"Payback, time...PIKACHU!!! GET IN GRUMPBACK'S BLOWHOLE!!!"   
"What the?!" Misty asked surprisedly.   
Pikachu ran into Grumpback's blowhole, stuffing itself into the whale's only source of air. The whale was choking and helpless, and though its size was clearly its advantage, Ash quickly used it against itself.   
"Pikachu, Electrolysis!!!"   
"KACHUUUUUUUUU!!!!" Pikachu roared ferociously.   
"GRUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!......!!!!!!!" the Grumpback roared in pain as the super-concentrated electric field Pikachu created tore into Grumpback on a molecular level, and though it had electric properties on the exterior, it's watery interior was well overpowered by the little mouse dynamo. 

Misty stared into space, "I can't...I can't believe it. He..he beat me." She had snapped back into reality, just in time to see her Grumpback fainted and floating on the water, with thick smoke billowing out of its blowhole, and little Pikachu standing on its back victorious.   
"Grumpback, return." she muttered softly.   
"Pikachu, you did it!!! I thought I lost you there for a moment, but that was awesome!!!" Ash exclaimed as the little mouse swam lovingly toward its trainer.   
A humbled Misty looked on at the two, and witnessed for once a connection she had never before seen between a master and its pokemon, "I...I've never met anyone like him. He really does love pokemon..."   
Ash finishes rejoicing, and looked at the other side of the pool, at his opponent. He didn't know what to feel. During their match, she had spoken inconsiderately of Pikachu's possible demise. It was something he couldn't take lightly.   
"Pikachu, lets go." Ash said, taking the option of just walking away. He didn't want any confrontation with Misty. He didn't feel like quarreling now, but more like mourning the loss of a friend.   
"Wait...Ash!!! Where are you going?! You won a badge!"   
"I'm not interested in it." he replied.   
Normally, Misty would be extremely insulted if someone refused the badge, but not now. Something was wrong.   
"Just hold on a minute!!! You can't refuse the badge. That and you won a date with me..."   
"No way I'd be caught dead with someone who would joke around with the life of a pokemon,"Ash fumed.   
He stormed out the back door of the Cerulean Gym. It was 11:00 PM. Misty wanted to warn Ash of the curfew enforced by the Cerulean Police, but he was too far away.   
"I'm...sorry...," was all she could mutter as his silhouette disappeared into the night.   
"Huh?" Misty felt a tap on her shoulder. A big, bulky sexy hunk of a man stood next to her, carrying flowers and a lusty, perverted grin, "You must be Misty. Sorry I'm late, but I needed to perfect my ravishing hair."   
All Ash heard in the distance as he left was the sound of a mallet crashing down on someone's head. 

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	2. Epic II

**The Usual Disclaimer:** What are you, stupid!!! I don't own Pokemon!!! Long live Nintendo and Gamefreak!!!! The expensive ass and undersupplied PS2 can go to hell with its mediocre first lineup of games. Hey, why's that mob coming my direction...   
**Author's Note:** (Badly imitating the narrator's voice on Dragonball Z) Today on the Master of Ages!!! As if Ash didn't have it bad enough being thrown five years into the future in a world he never existed, he gets into a little scrape with the Cerulean Police!! Team Rocket's planning a hostile takeover of epic proportions, with a familiar duo and their talking cat at the front!!! A new Team Rocket poses a threat to a certain ex-redhead and her gym, but guess who comes to her rescue!!! And a certain, pupiless hero finds himself on the wrong side of the law, with a busty new sidekick to boot!!! If you haven't read the first episode of Master of Ages, do so now or none of this will make any goddamn sense!!! Plenty of weird surprises are in store as the Master of Ages continues!!! 

**CHAPTER 5: THE FRIEND YOU NEVER HAD**

Ash and Pikachu continued through the dark streets of Cerulean City. The place was a ghost town after 11:00 PM. Our heroes stopped at the center of town, and sat on the steps of Cerulean's legendary landmark, the Water Mother Crystal Fountain.   
Ash breathed a sigh of exhaustion, tired from the tense concentration of his tough battle with Misty.   
"You know Pikachu, can you keep a secret? I really miss the old, scrawny Misty."   
"Pika...(No kidding...)"   
"She may've been a pain lots of times, but she was sometimes very nice and cheered me on at every match regardless of how bad I might've been at the time."   
"Chu...(Yeah...)"   
"But that's just between you and me, right?"   
"Pika!!!(Yup!!!)" 

Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of the majestic monument. Two police came out. Ash immediately recognized one as Officer Jenny, noticing they were coming toward him.   
Officer Jenny calls Ash's attention,"Hey you?! Do you know what time it is!"   
"Uhh, it's 11:56 PM. Is something wrong?"Ash inquired.   
"You've violated curfew!!! Now, show me your municipal I.D."   
"Municipal I.D...Oh...I got it!" Ash thought to himself as he pulled out Dexter.   
He flashed his I.D. to Officer Jenny, but it didn't help him one bit.   
"That pokedex is an outdated form of I.D. You could've hacked in false information on that thing,"Officer Jenny said, mindful of her quota, "Sorry, kid but you're under arrest for attempting to deceive an officer!!!"   
"WAAAHHH!!!" Ash yelped as he and Pikachu were hauled into the back of the police cruiser and taken back to headquarters. 

Back in Viridian Gym, three familiar faces are taking to their jobs in the global ops division rather well. They were at one time in their history simple pokemon thieves, but were quickly promoted to spy, industrial saboteur, and district overseer, ultimately attaining the position of the highly respected and feared Team Rocket executive, directing various criminal operations around the globe. They were affluent players in the criminal world, with money, power, and fear tied to their names. Yet they still yearned for more.   
"You know James...I'd do my job better if you actually did your share!!!"   
"Oh but I am, Jess. I'm...administrating..."   
"Administrate this, you numbskull!!! SCRATCH!!! SCRATCH!!!"   
James winced in pain, "Oooooh!!!???"   
Persian-Meowth tired of wasting his claws on James's face, though ever since he evolved, his attacks became even much more painful than they were before. Both Jesse and James loathed Persian-Meowth, his behavior having changed drastically since its evolution. They both were used to the old, lovable Meowth scratching them before, but the scratches they received from Persian-Meowth hurt much more, for they were not only stronger but had an unprecedented taint of pure hate and conceit.   
"Now...I've just spoken with our leader. As you both know, at the end of the last meeting, Giovanni announced our proposed takeover of the Cerulean Gym. And as you both know, that particular gym is the only one on in Kanto that isn't controlled by our organization.   
James, pushing away one of his hairs, arrogantly chimes in, "Well what's the big deal? Why can't we just use the old protection racket or bribe the gym leader like we always do?"   
Jesse, always eager to get on James's case,"James, James, James...how do you keep your feet on the ground with such an empty head? Cerulean City is run like a police state, has an advanced ID system, and has even instituted a curfew for the express purposes of stopping criminals like us. It's too difficult to muscle our influence there."   
Persian-Meowth, the most astute of the three, factors in the last piece of the puzzle, "Though Jesse mentioned some aspects of the danger, there is an even greater threat. The Cerulean Gym has been under the ownership of the Waterflower family for generations. Four sisters still hold the propietorship over the gym. Persuading them to hand over their controlling shares might prove difficult."   
"Difficult?!" Jesse said, surprised by Persian-Meowth's concern.   
  
"One of the sisters may prove to be an obstacle. She was this year's Indigo Champ. I believe her name was Misty." Persian-Meowth hands both Jesse and James a folder full of pictures, and intricate details about her, her pokemon, and the gym's financial ties.   
"I remember her. She's awfully cute...and spunky." James said, a frequent spectator of the League Games himself, "Misty ripped through her competition without even trying."   
"Exactly, and that is the very reason why I signed us up for the mission of bringing the Cerulean Gym under our control," Persian-Meowth said, Jesse and James facefaulting and getting back up to complain.   
"But why us?"Jesse says.   
"I thought the reason we were given these jobs was to pose around and goof off!" James spat.   
Persian-Meowth growled,"Listen, you two. This mission is so critically important in the organization's life that Giovanni personally gave his word to me that we would receive seats in the executive board of Team Rocket if we are successful. That is why I signed the three of us up. Now...do we have a problem?"   
Jesse and James were in absolute fictional nirvana. All of their other fantasies about fame, fortune, and romance dwindled away at this very moment. The sky was finally the limit. They were to become board member executives, sitting in the board room making the decisions alongside their longtime boss, Giovanni.   
A streak of lightning flashed across the high window of their office.   
Jesse started the motto, which had changed since their days as simple pokemon thieves.   
Prepare for danger...   
Ya got that, stranger?...   
To bring the world to devastation...   
To enslave all peoples into our nation...   
To annihilate the evils of truth and love...   
To dethrone the God in the heavens above...   
Jesse!!!   
James!!!   
Team Rocket, stalking the shadows of the night...   
Resist us not or feel our bite!!!   
Persian-Meowth, jumped in between their legs, and unleashed a frightening, sinister purr.   
"PurrRRRRROAAARRRRRR!!!!!! That's right..." 

Water dripped from the toilet. It was cracked. The repetitive dripping was about to drive both Pikachu and Ash insane until Officer Jenny broke the symphony.   
"Ketchum. Ash Ketchum. You're free to go."   
"Huh?!"   
"Come on. Someone posted bail."   
Ash claimed whatever items and pokeballs that were confiscated and reluctantly came out to meet his benefactor. He may've been dense at times, but not so dense that he didn't know who had just bailed him out. The only question was why.   
"Hi." Ash and Misty said to each other. She continued.   
"Ash, we need to talk. Get in the car."   
Ash had no choice. He needed an escort to avoid getting arrested again, and Misty was the his only choice of a companion. He and Pikachu got into Misty's jeep. It was dark blue, and had an alluring, seductive shine to it. They cruised down the streets of Cerulean City, the gentle blue street lights cascading across both their faces. Neither wanted to speak, but Misty ultimately broke the silence.   
"Ya know, Ash. You beat me pretty bad back there."   
Ash didn't respond, staring into the darkness of the windshield.   
"Ok...I'm...sorry. I really mean that. I...just...never met anyone with such concern for their pokemon. Like if you and your Pikachu were best friends. I'm sorry if I sounded insensitive...I"   
Ash interrupted her," Enough of your apology. Why'd ya bail me out?"   
"A gesture of good will. That and I have a proposition for you."   
"And what's that?"   
Misty had driven to a high ledge, a place where several of her old boyfriends had previously taken her. She adored the overview of the city, though she loathed the lecherous company she kept sometimes. Once in a while she would come alone and daydream for hours. Ash, Misty, and Pikachu got out of the car and were led by Misty to a smooth log, a popular site for couples in the city.   
"Ash, sit down and look."   
"Wow."   
"Incredible, isn't it. I've lived here all my life. Hah! I ran away once, but it didn't work out..."   
"Yeah, I know. Oops!"Ash bumblingly answered, Misty somewhat startled, and Pikachu smacking his head.   
"What? How could you know?" Misty asked.   
"Uhh...forget it. Anyway, you had something to ask me about."   
"Oh yeah. Ash, your skill as a pokemon trainer could take you places. I hold controlling shares in the Cerulean Gym, and with my guidance and sponsorship, you could become the greatest ever."   
"Huh?"   
"You can compete in the Indigo League, with me as your..."   
Ash interrupted, not wanting to lead the girl on, "I'm sorry, but I have a mission to carry out. I can't stick around to compete in the Indigo League. I'm sorry. Thanks anyway, but Pikachu and I have to leave."   
  
Misty couldn't speak as Ash and Pikachu started to leave. But she was curious about something Ash had said earlier, and continued to pester Ash.   
"Oh really...and what mission would that be?" she said jeeringly.   
"WAAHHH!!! Huh?"   
"Well, answer me. What's so important that you would pass up the opportunity to be coached by me?"   
Ash couldn't reveal the true purpose of his journey. What was he gonna say? He couldn't hit her with the sledgehammer of reality. Just tap her on the head a little with it. He sits down next to her, and looks toward the glimmering lights of the city.   
"I'm lost. I'm trying to find my way home."   
"Is that it? Doesn't seem to major to me. If it's not too far off, I'll drive you home."   
Ash sighed"No, it's not that simple. Remember when you said you ran away from home?"   
"Yeah...hey how did you know that? I never met you before."   
"Tell me about the time you ran away from home..."   
"Huh?" Misty blushed, "Well...I had run away for only three days, and then I came back."   
"Tell me what you did...just humor me."   
"Nothing major really. I left Cerulean, passed through Viridian, stopped by a river to fish, and   
"Went to Pallet Town..." Ash said, finishing her sentence.   
"Huh? How did you..."   
"Don't question me. Just continue, this time with more detail."   
Ash knew his approach, and filled in parts of the story she was about to tell.   
"Okay...it started to rain so I got on my bike"   
"A red bike..."   
"And rode my way to Pallet Town. It didn't have a Pokemon Center, so I thought I could find a restaurant. I kept riding along one of the paths, but I stopped to notice an old man comforting a crying woman on the roadside. I asked what happened. They told me her son was..."   
"Kidnapped..."   
"This isn't funny, Ash...Tell me now how you know all these things...or I'm leaving."   
"I'm...I'm...a friend you never had." Ash said, holding back tears, "Let me tell you what I remember, from where I come from, Misty."   
  
He slowly unfolded his side of the story, about how he had started his Pokemon journey, how he and Pikachu were chased by the Spearows, how he jumped the river and got fished out by Misty, how he had stolen her bike to save Pikachu and destroyed it, and how she had tagged along on his journey. She laughed at first, but stopped laughing when she saw how serious Ash's face was. When he finished, there was a silence, which was broken by Misty, who got up and walked away just a few steps until stopping in one spot. Pikachu jumped on the log, while Ash followed her and stood behind her.   
"I'm not expecting you to believe me..."   
Misty turns around with tears in her eyes, "Then why'd you tell me all those things? Are you trying to say the life that I led was some kind of mistake of fate? That all I had worked for and accomplished was by mere chance? Is that why you beat me tonight? To prove your life superior to mine?!"   
Ash grabbed Misty by the shoulders, "No!!! What I'm trying to say...is that I want my old life back. I'm from another reality. Someone in this reality went back in time and kidnapped me in my sleep before I left for my journey that day. That's why we never met. A younger version of me is being held captive by somebody in this world and I'm going find him. I was hoping you...could join me. But I could understand now why you wouldn't want to. I'll leave. I'm deeply sorry I had to tell you those things. Pikachu, let's go."   
Misty looked on as Ash and Pikachu slowly turned away and started to walk away. Her mind was filled with all kinds of doubts. Yet her heart told her something different. How come she felt this innate connection with this stranger? What was it that made him seem so familiar? She wanted the answer, so much that she would discard the monotonous, selfish and glitzy life she had carved out for herself, and just for once, do something selfless and unconditionally loving.   
She called out, "Ash!!!" Hey Ash!!!"   
"Misty???"   
"I'll...I'll join you, but only if you can tell me one more thing to prove you really do know me."   
Ash looked at her, her face dripping with tears, and cemented his proof with one more comment.   
"I miss that red head of yours. Brown doesn't really suit you, Mist."   
The two said no more words as they both got into the car, unable to take the smile off their faces as they rode into the moonlit night. 

**CHAPTER 6: STONE AND ILLUSION**

"Like you just got here? You can't just leave!!! Who's gonna protect the gym?!" Daisy shouted as she banged on Misty's door, while Violet and Lily fumbled around a nearby closet looking for the appropriate power tools. Ash and Pikachu had barricaded the door so Misty could gather the essentials for their journey.   
"DAISY!!! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS WHY I'M LEAVING!!! I'M 18 AND FULLY CAPABLE OF TAKING CARE OF MYSELF!!!" the brunette shouted at the top of her lungs, Ash and Pikachu falling victim to her vocal chords.   
Violet and Lily started working on the door's hinges, providing background noise for Daisy's and Misty's argument. Ash and Pikachu had slept in the guest room, but under Misty's advice, awoke early to scramble over to Misty's room to avoid the chaos that would ensue.   
Ash, recuperating from Misty's yell, talks to Pikachu, "You know, Pikachu, the more we hang around her, the more she's starting to act like her old self."   
"Pika pikachu-cha pika?(Is that a good thing?)"   
Ash makes a huge sweatdrop while Misty keeps pulling stuff out of her closet.   
"Ya know Misty, when we used to travel together, you kept all of your stuff in a red backpack."   
Misty looked at Ash, still intrigued by his knowledge of her, "I've grown up since then, Ash. I'm a woman now. I have more...needs and essentials," she said while she discreetly packed some lipstick, tampons, an epilator, a blowdryer, expensive Celadon perfumes, pimple cream, five 18-hour C-cup bras, six blue panties with various water motifs, and her notorious red bikinis into her orange suitcase.   
"Uh...okay?!" Ash affirmed, as he remembered all the kinds of stuff and junk Misty used to carry around in that little red, pouch-like backpack.   
BANG!!!...BOOM!!! The door was down and the barricade erupted, sending bits of furniture flying everywhere, bringing Ash and Misty to the ground. They both looked up to see Misty's sisters towering over them, with very threatening drills and automatic screwdrivers in hand.   
"WAAAHHH!!!"Ash yelps.   
"GRRRRRR..."Misty growls.   
"CHAAAAA!!!" Pikachu screams as he hides behind Ash's right shoulder.   
"HUH???...!!!"all three sisters simultaneously say, as they find Misty with Ash in her room. They all slightly blush at the cute boy and gawk at the two in amazement. The three sisters, with tears in their eyes, thought to themselves, in all of their years with little Misty, have never seen her have a proactive interest in finding a mate. They set her up on so many blind dates with endless failure, they had given up hope. Little did they know they probably had the poorest taste in men to start with.   
"Oh, like, now I see why you're leaving..." Violet said up close to Misty with a weird look on her face.   
"Like this is totally awesome!!!"Lily said to Ash, with stars in her eyes.   
"GIRLS!!! LET'S GET THESE TWO OUTTA HERE!!!"Daisy commanded.   
Both Misty and Ash kept dumb looks on their faces as her sisters packed Misty's stuff for her, threw them into their jeep, and sent them on their way.   
"Like, don't worry about the gym!!! We'll take care of everything!!! Goodbye!!!"   
And so, our heroes drove off into the sunrise, entirely ignorant and apathetic about what just happened. For them, one thing was on their minds, breakfast. 

A jagged, gray monster truck rampaged through the outer rim of the Safari Zone.   
The chief warden of the Safari Zone was staying in close contact with Officer Jenny, "Roger Jenny!!! I'll try to barricade the west end, though I doubt we can do anything to stop Brock!!!"   
It was his trademark granite gray monster truck that gave him away. Though he wasn't always one to cling to the tenets of stealth, you wouldn't expect that from a rock pokemon trainer. Stone is an element of strength, solidity, and directness, so it was natural for Brock to be honest and in your face, especially if you're a girl. Yet even Brock realizes the need for subtlety and resourcefulness, hence his partner.   
Brock fumbled for the radio transmitter and relayed,"Duplica, did you do as we planned?"   
"Sure thing, Brocko, your legend as a bounty hunter will be belong to the ages after this one!!!" Duplica shouts into the transmitter, wearing her Officer Jenny outfit.   
Brock's monster truck, with a heavy contraband of Chanseys, Kangaskhans, and Pinsirs, barreled down the main valley of the east end. But, unbeknownst to Brock, several police cars and heavily armed reserve humvees were waiting for him at the very end.   
"Brock, come in, Brock!!!"   
"I'm halfway down the east end valley, Duplica!!! What's up?!"   
Duplica nervously yells, "I've tapped into the Safari Zone radar detection system!!! There's a massive group of very unfriendly looking blips at the end of the valley!!!   
"Cops???"   
"Duh!!! Who else???" Duplica snickers.   
"I got an idea, Doop! Meet me at the middle. Time to take center stage!!!"   
"I'll be down there!!! And don't call me 'Doop'!!! I'll told you never to call me that!!!"   
"Just get down here or we'll be fighting in a jail cell!!! Now here's the new plan..."   
  
The gauntlet was armed to the teeth. They were ready to fire on Brock, inconsiderate of the fact that they would also be firing on the rare pokemon. The owner of the reserve placed her profits above all else, and it reflected on the way she ran the place. What used to be an inexpensive haven for trainers to catch rare pokemon had three years ago become a lavish, restricted pokemon country club, where pokemon were sold to the highest bidder. The irony was that though the reserve's profits soared, much of it went to the owner's pockets, leaving little left for the maintenance and specialized care for the rare pokemon. The average reproductive rate for the pokemon has plummeted for the past two years. Little does Brock know it, but he's actually committing an act of heroism than an act of crime, all on the estate known as Jessiebelle Meadows, a franchise of Team Rocket, Inc. The police readied their guns as they started getting something on their radars. He was coming down the valley, but not alone.   
One of the lieutenants received a radio transmission.   
"Chief, tell your men to hold your fire!!! I have a grapple on the vehicle!!!" a voice which sounded like Officer Jenny said.   
"Jenny, we have orders to fire!!! You can't pull any heroics now!!! Jessiebelle will have our hides if we don't follow through with the order!!!   
"Then she can have mine too!!! But there's rare pokemon on board and I'm gonna make sure they're safe!"   
Officer Jenny steadied herself on the edge of the door of her humvee, and jumped onto Brock's truck, grabbing onto the bottom of the passenger window which was left open. All the officers looked on as Jenny opened the door and got inside the passenger side of the truck.   
The chief ordered, "Hold your fire!!!" as Jenny struggled with Brock at the wheel. 

"Brock!!! Quit messin' around!!! Get that goofy look off your face!!!"   
"Sorry Doop, but you remind me of so many Jennys at the same time!!! I can't help myself!"   
Duplica, infuriated as she can ever be, fumes, "I told you....DON'T CALL ME 'DOOP'!!!"   
As they pass through the gauntlet of police, Duplica unleashed a very long noogie on Brock, which made the officers wince as they witnessed the cranial torture. All of sudden, Brock's left wheel hit a boulder, sending the truck spinning and knocking police cars in all directions while the cops fled the chaos. By pure chance, Brock's nose became buried in Duplica's cleavage after the impact.   
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"Duplica shrieked while blushing.   
Brock pulled his face out of her breasts, "Uh, I didn't"   
SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!SLAP!!!...was all that was heard as Duplica unleashed the most devastating doubleslap technique ever seen, even by pokemon standards.   
"Wow, I didn't know Officer Jenny could do that..." a policeman commented.   
"Maybe its a family thing, though that particular Jenny was awfully short and busty..."another one said.   
The slaps continued on in the distance, as all the cops looked on, wondering if Jenny was going to be okay. Brock and Duplica, bounty hunters extraordinaire, continued on in their journey, but not before stopping at the local Dragonite-Aid for some Ben-Gay. 

"So back in your timeline, we traveled with a guy named Brock? What was this guy like?"Misty asked.   
"He was pretty cool, real wise, and knew where to stick his nose in any situation!!!"Ash replied.   
Ash, Misty and Pikachu stopped for breakfast at a small restaurant. A bit into the meal, Misty started asking Ash questions about their travels together. One of the topics of discussion was their traveling buddy, Brock.   
"Why'd did he hang around us? A guy his age should've had a girlfriend to keep him company..."   
"He wanted to become a pokemon breeder, so he came along to hone his breeding skills. About the girlfriend thing, he had a very soft spot for pretty girls. He'd ask any girl out any chance he'd get, even ones that were probably too old for him to begin with, but without any success."   
"That's too bad...umm...how about you? Did you have a girlfriend?"   
"Waaaaa!!! No, come to think of it. I never bothered to get a girlfriend when I started my pokemon training. Not since May. But...she was never really my girlfriend to begin with."   
"May?!"   
"Yeah. We hung out a lot together when we were younger. She beat me up a lot too, but one day she pecked me on the lips and said she finally learned how to show she cared without hitting me. But by the time that happened, her parents divorced and she left suddenly. I never understood what she meant. Then Gary came."   
"Gary?"   
Ash looked out the window solemnly, with old memories of May still haunting the album of his mind.   
"Gary...he's another story. I don't wanna get into that. He's not important."   
Misty looked at Ash, getting the sense she hit a sensitive spot about his having a girlfriend. But one thing Misty never falters in is her insensitive persistence. She continues to press on the conversation.   
"Ash, why did I follow you?"   
"Huh?"   
"Initially, why did I follow you?"   
"Like I said before. I destroyed your bike and you wanted to tag along until I paid you back."   
"That seems like a pretty stupid reason to me. I could've just gotten my sisters to talk to your mom and a settlement could've been arranged. You're still not giving me a good reason."   
"Look Misty, that's all I can give you. I'm a pokemon trainer and now a time-traveler, but I'm not a telepath. I don't know what went through your head when you decided to join me on my pokemon journey. I'm sorry if that sounds insulting, but it's the truth. We should go."   
"Wait Ash. before we go, what are we going to do next?"   
"Huh?"   
"You said you wanted to go back home, and that I was going to help you. What's our next move?" 

Ash had never considered his course of action. He knew his younger counterpart was being held hostage somewhere in this world, but had no clue where to start looking. Nevertheless, he followed his instincts and common sense and two words came to mind.   
"Professor Oak. If the time disruption occured in this timeline, he might know something about it, if he's still around. Our next stop is his research lab in Pallet Town."   
"Ash...also...your mom. Maybe we should pay a visit." Misty softly suggested.   
"We can't. I wouldn't be able to handle it. I..."   
Misty grabs Ash by the collar and pulls him up close, "If you want me to stick around, you're going to pay your mom a visit whether you like it or not!!!!!!"   
All of a sudden they noticed everyone in the restaurant staring at them. The pair let loose some sweatdrops as they laughed nervously and started to leave.   
"Pikachu, maybe you should let go of that ketchup now..."   
"Chaa??? Pika-pi chu...(Huh??? No way, man)"   
"Then bring it along. I'll pay for it."   
"Pika!!!(Cool!!!)" 

The three left the restaurant with their next destination in mind. Pallet Town, Ash's hometown, where all of this mess started, and where clues to getting everything back to normal might still be lurking around. Our heroes reach Misty's jeep, but oddly enough there are two kids about their age, and a Machamp wearing a mean looking vest reclining against the hood of the jeep. All our heroes could see was their silhouettes.   
"Hey!!! Didn't you learn to respect private property? That's my jeep!!!" Misty yelled.   
"Yeah, get off her jeep!"Ash chimed in.   
The two kids and the Machamp got off the jeep, the Machamp starting to tower above them all as it got off. Ash, Misty, and Pikachu started to shake in fear as they menacingly approached. Misty and Pikachu hid behind Ash, while Ash stood his ground with his arms folded.   
The blonde boy started talking, "Ya know kid, as members of Team Rocket, we were taught that all in the world belongs to Team Rocket, and that includes pathetic little jeeps like this one. But this particular one belongs to..."   
The raven-haired girl continued his sentence, "Misty Waterflower, this year's Indigo League champ. I believe that's you, girl. Hmm...and who would this be? Your boyfriend? I admit, he is rather cute, but a pretty face ain't gonna help either of you one bit."   
Ash and Pikachu growled, but Misty added to the tension.   
"Why the interest in me? You should know better than to face off against a Pokemon Master!!!"   
The blonde kid spoke, "That doesn't concern us at all. What does interest us is that precious little gym of yours. It's the only one our leader has yet to control..."   
And then the Machamp said in a earth-shaking voice, "Hand over the deed or else!!!"   
Our heroes shouted, shocked at the Machamp's ability to speak.   
"WAAAAHH!!!!!!"   
"AAAAAHH!!!!!!"   
"PIKAAAAA!!!!!" 

**CHAPTER 7: WAR CRY OF THE ROCKETS**

Our heroes were in peril. Two Team Rocket members and a menacing Machamp had ambushed them in front of a small restaurant. Their only option was a pokemon battle, but not before listening to their motto. For Ash it was an expected task, but for Misty it was something she had never been privy to hearing. The raven-haired Rocketeer started the motto, with her blonde companion alternating verses.   
Rocket here and Rocket there!!!   
Rocket Gang is everywhere!!!   
Terrorizing the nations of the land!!!   
Taking them in the palm of our hand!!!   
Beauty by day, terror by night!!!   
Crime is the passion of which we delight!!!   
Billy...   
Kid...   
Kneel before us and feel our wrath!!!   
As we tread all who stand in our path!!!   
"GGGGGGRRRRRRR...that's right!!!" 

Ash said, "Team Rocket!!!" yet felt weird saying it alone, since the old Misty usually said it with him.   
Kid, waving some of her hair away, continues, "Now Ms. Waterflower, hand over your slice of the deed over to us. Or maybe we should persuade one of your sisters to hand us theirs..."   
"You keep away from my sisters, or I'll..."Misty shouts.   
"You can't do anything, little girl. You're in no position to make demands."Machamp growls.   
"But I am!!!" Ash yells, infuriated by their arrogance, one reminiscent of Jesse and James.   
"And who might you be?" Billy sneers.   
"I'm Ash Ketchum!!! Misty's my friend, and if you clowns want her, you're gonna have to come through me!!!" Ash staunchly shouts.   
Misty blushed, flattered by Ash's defense, but never wanting to be the damsel in distress, yells, "Butt out, Ash!!! This is my fight!!! There's no way these third-rate punks are gonna beat this year's Indigo Champ!!!"   
"Ahhh, if it's a battle you want, we'd be happy to entertain!"Billy jeers.   
Kid grabs a pokeball, "Go, Flareon!!!"   
Billy launches his pokemon, "Go, Jynx!!!" 

Ash and Misty look at their opponents pokemon and start a small discussion.   
"Ya know, Ash, this isn't even worth the effort!" Misty giggled.   
"I know what ya mean. Your Fullfrog can douse the Flareon, and my Charizard can melt the Jynx. Whaddya say, Pikachu. Should we show some mercy?"   
"Pika (Nope)"   
Billy and Kid start to get upset at how their targets are giggling to each other in their conversation.   
"Hey!!! You're supposed to be trembling in fear of our pokemon!!!" Kid yells.   
Machamp angrily roars, "Call out your pokemon or else!!!"   
Ash and Misty, ever the humble trainers, turn quickly towards their assailants, and simultaneously unleash the appropriate pokemon. Fullfrog and Charizard pop out, standing menacingly in front of their trainers.   
Billy, Kid, and Machamp start trembling in fear.   
"FULLFROG!!!"   
"CHARIZARD!!!"   
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Machamp effeminately screeches. 

"Fullfrog, Croak Powder!!!"   
"Charizard, Flamethrower!!!"   
Fullfrog's Croak Powder, a mixture of explosive bodily gases, quickly envelops the young Rockets, while Charizard's Flamethrower quickly ignited the Croak Powder.   
KRRRAAAAA-BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!   
The evil trio and their pokemon get launched into the blue of the sky.   
"That wasn't even right!" Kid blathers out.   
"It's the first time we lost a fight!" Billy spits.   
"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!!............'ping'" 

"Ash, did you know who those people were? They kinda scared me for a bit." Misty asked.   
"Hmm, those were members of Team Rocket, though I never met those two before. When we traveled together in my world, we were constantly fighting against two kids named Jesse and James, and a talking Meowth, members of Team Rocket. I guess Meowth musta taught that Machamp how to talk."   
"Come on, Ash, Pikachu. We have to get to Pallet Town. We can talk more about our journeys together on the way."   
"Right, come on Pikachu." 

The pair and little Pikachu race towards Pallet Town in hopes of finding Professor Oak. But little do they know they are being watched from above as a sinister evil looms in the distance.   
"Father, I knew you'd come. Race towards that little town you used to call home. It will do you no good. And as for you...Misty. You shall feel the joy of father's love, only to have it slip through your fingers. You shall be my dark queen soon enough, and your luscious body will be mine for the taking..."   
A trembling agent cowers and kneels before the fiery being, "Master, your meeting with the one called Giovanni for next week has been scheduled. He says his associate, Gary Oak, has successfully utilized the technology you had specified, and has captured the designated target."   
"Splendid, now...reach Gary and tell him to keep me posted on the development of little Ash and his Pikachu. Once the proper parameters are in order, we can proceed with Phase 4. Isn't that right, Pikachu?"   
A grayed, colorless Pikachu, morphed out of the shadow of the evil figure, with a red glow in its little eyes. They had the look of pure, unrelenting terror.   
"Chuuuu....." 

"Whaddya mean we can't pass through Pewter City?!"Ash demanded.   
"Yeah, what's the deal?!"Misty continued.   
Pikachu was enjoying the last remnants of his ketchup bottle as his trainer and their traveling partner were fighting with an Officer Jenny on a route leading to Pewter City.   
"I'm sorry, but we're on red alert. A bounty hunter named Brock is holed up somewhere inside. Until we find him, nothing goes in or out of this city."   
"Brock!!! Ash, isn't that the guy...mmmf!!!"   
Ash quickly puts his hand over Misty's mouth and finishes the conversation. "Well, I guess we're gonna have to wait, huh Officer Jenny?"   
"Guess so. There's a large inn a mile away from here. You can stay there until this thing clears up."   
Ash pushes Misty to the car while Misty protests, "Hey, quit pushing!!!"   
"Come on. We don't have much time. I have a plan, but we need a place to stay first." 

They get in the jeep and ride to the famous Rollin' Golem Inn, where they scramble to find a room.   
"Sorry kid, we don't have one with separate bedrooms. All we have is the honeymoon suite."   
Ash flusters and sighs, "Hmm...that's too bad. Guess we're gonna have to camp."   
Misty interjects, "We'll take it!!! Come on, Ash!!!"   
"Huh?"   
"Don't just stand there! Bring our stuff up and tell me about your plan!"   
"Right, Pikachu, take my backpack and follow Misty. I'll meet you upstairs soon."   
"Chu! (Alright!)" 

As Misty and Pikachu ran up to their room, Ash pulls out Dexter, and punches up a listing of stored phone numbers. Brock, early in their journey, asked Ash to store his phone number on his pokedex in case he forgot. Ash, hopeful that the number is still the same in this reality, dials it up on a voice-only phone, aware of the risk he's taking. It rings three times until someone picks it up.   
"Hello, Slate residence. Grant speaking."   
"Uh hi, is Brock there?" Ash whispered.   
"What's the password, kid?"   
"Waaahhh!!!" Ash facefaulted and made a sweatdrop as he thought of what he was going to say next.   
"Password accepted."   
Lady Luck seemed to be on Ash's side, for his very cry of excitement was the password he needed.   
"Brock speaking. Where are you calling from?"   
"Uhh, I'm calling from the Rollin' Golem Inn."   
"Good. Who am I speaking toooOOOWHOA!!! Duplica, hold steady!!!" 

Ash chose the worst time to call, for Brock, Duplica, and some of his family were holed up in a hidden basement under his house, their property under search by the police. His father, Flint, aware of his son's whereabouts, is stalling the police during the search. Brock would be in the clear, except that the trap door had broken in two while they were crawling in. Duplica was barely holding up the two boards, while balancing on Brock's shoulders. Not a good time for conversation, but for Brock, business was business.   
"Now, who am I speaking to?"   
Ash figuring out what to say, "I can't give you that over the phone, but I have a job for you."   
"You're at the Rollin' Golem Inn, right? I'll meet you down there in the back lot at midnight. Okay?"   
"Right, but how are you going to get past the cops?"   
"Leave that to me! They don't call me Brock the Rock for nothing! Bye!" 

Ash ran upstairs, excited that he had made contact with his old friend, but wondering how he was going to convince him to join him on his journey. And Duplica? What was that all about? How did they get together in this world? Too many questions, Ash said to himself. He made it to his room and entered rather quietly, looking for Misty and Pikachu, yet was unable to find them. He tiptoed to the bedroom and took a peek.   
"You know, Pikachu. The more I'm around you, the more I'm losing my fear of Pikachus."   
"Pika Pika!!! (Atta girl!!!)"   
Misty continued, throwing several deep questions, "But still, I have a lot of questions about Ash. I wish I were able to understand you. Maybe you could tell me more about him. How exactly did you two get to this world? Why did he want me to come along on his journey with him? What made me want to follow him when we were younger in his timeline? There's just so much I don't know..."   
Ash smiled and thought to himself, "I wish I knew the answers to those myself. But we'll find them...together" He knocked on the side of the wall and called out to Misty and Pikachu. The two jumped out of the room.   
"Pika-pi (Ash!)"   
"What took you so long? I was playing around with Pikachu for a while now. What's up?"   
"Hmm...listen you two. I contacted Brock, and got him to meet with us at midnight in the back lot."   
"What?" Misty said with a stunned face, "How'd ya manage to do that?"   
"A lot of luck. But now I'm gonna have to figure out how to get him to join us..."   
"Why do you want him to join us?" Misty asked.   
"Huh?"   
"I mean, don't you think three's a crowd? Aren't we doing pretty well by ourselves?" Misty scowled.   
"Misty, he was our friend and traveled with us in my world. We should see how he turned out, and by the looks of things, it doesn't seem he was very lucky if he has the police chasing him."   
"Ohh...okay," Misty said, secretly disappointed that it wasn't just gonna be the two of them. 

It was midnight. Ash, Misty, and Pikachu were waiting outside in the back lot. There was a cold drizzle that tickled them gently as they waited. Misty started to shiver, and Ash took notice.   
"Misty, are you cold?"   
"A little, but I'll live."   
"Here, take my jacket." Ash said before taking it off and putting it on Misty.   
"Thank you."   
Ash softly rubbed her shoulders to warm her up, while Misty stared at Ash, blushing slightly and smiling when he took notice. Ash, still with the mind of 12 year old, not knowing what to make of Misty's behavior, smiled back.   
"If you don't mind, can you hold Pikachu? I know you don't like..."   
"Sure..."Misty quickly agreed as Pikachu shook the rain off his fur and jumped into Misty's arms. 

Not too far by, the recently defeated members of Team Rocket are looking at their targets through night-vision goggles, plotting their next course of action.   
"Aww...don't they look cute together?"Kid snickered.   
"Not as cute as me," Billy sneered.   
"Both of you are quite ugly in my opinion," Machamp groaned, "but that's not gonna matter. This time I'm gonna battle them. Neither them or their pokemon will survive my awesome might. The Cerulean Gym will be ours, and afterwards, Team Rocket will rule all of this continent, and soon the world!!!" 

**CHAPTER 8: THE TRUMP CARD**

A strange, unprecedented feeling came over her, a warmth in the midst of the cold, wet night. She had always been fiercely independent, traveling to the gyms of the continent, beating the gym masters of the other gyms, dating guys sparsely here and there with disappointing luck. Yet this time she felt differently. Ash wasn't possessive of her like other guys were with her. Though she wasn't one to be under the shadow of a man, she liked how Ash protected her. Not defending her like a piece of property, but standing alongside her, empowering her. For once in her life, she didn't feel alone, but secure...cared for, even. She looked on at her companion longingly, with a small infatuation growing ever more immense inside her heart.   
"So, Ash, it's been 10 minutes. He hasn't shown up yet."Misty said.   
"If you want, you can go back inside. You don't have to stay with me. I can wait for him alone."   
"Oh...no. I'll stay...if you want me to...."   
Ash's heart started to beat nervously. He wanted her to stay, and were he the old Ash, he would've expressed himself rather easily, but he wasn't able to. His age, the hormones in his body were all too foreign to a 12 year old. He knew his body radically changed from the time warp, but he noticed his feelings had changed too. He felt differently about Misty. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked in his jacket holding Pikachu, with the rain shining off her chocolate hair along with her azure-colored eyes and her delicate lips. But he was used to shaking his sentiments away, and denied to himself of what he was feeling.   
"Sure. If you want to."Ash said curtly, not daring to look at her.   
Misty walks up to Ash.   
"Ash, what's wrong? You don't seem okay?"   
"Oh, nothing. I just miss home. That's all. Hey, look! Someone's coming."   
  
A black sports car sped into the back lot, braking a few feet in front of Ash and Misty. Pikachu unwound his body, pulled his head away from Misty's chest, and poked his head out of the jacket. Brock and Duplica jumped out of the car and walk towards them. Brock stood tall and muscular, with a his old spiked hair smoothed out into an interesting array of cascading hairs and bangs. Duplica stood next to him, her shortness emphasized even more standing next to a monster like Brock. She was very athletic for her age, though her breasts were somewhat huge. Her hair was tied down into a long braided tail.   
"So which one of you called us?" Brock asked.   
"I did. My name's Ash."   
"I don't recall giving you my private number. What's your angle?"   
"My angle?"   
"You said you had a job for us. How much are you paying and what are we being asked to do?"   
Ash thought to himself for a moment, remembering the images he saw of Brock back in Chronine's dimension, "How about if I tell you I can help you reclaim your old gym in Pewter City?"   
"What?...HAH!!! You gotta be kidding me, boy. I sold that gym to Team Rocket. I didn't want to, but I had no choice. Don't joke around with me. I got a family to maintain. Now unless you've got cash, I'm not listening any further."   
Brock and Duplica paused for a moment while Ash stood silent. They started to walk away until Misty intervened, "Hey wait!!! If you want to be paid, then talk to me!!!"   
Brock started to blush, "Huh?" Psychedelic anime bubbles of love started glowing behind him.   
Misty got a questioned look on her face, as Brock pushed Ash aside, and introduced himself, "Hi, my name is Brock. I'm sorry if sounded rude to your friend, but me and my partner are in desperate need of cash. Please tell me what's your name and do you have a boyfriend?"   
"We used to hang around this guy?"Misty thought to herself as she let Pikachu down and unleashed her mallet on his head, "Listen, Brock. We have need of your skill as a bounty hunter. From what Ash tells me, you're also an exceptional breeder, so we can use your help in maintaining our pokemon in top health. I'm the main proprietor of the Cerulean Gym, and am able to pay you handsomely if you'll assist us."   
Misty looked at Duplica, "Your partner is welcome to help as well. What's your name?"   
"Duplica, and will you please tell me where you got such a nice-looking mallet? Brock does need a good whack once in a while."   
"Sure thing, Duplica, but for now we should leave since the police are looking for you two."   
Ash interjected, "Uh, Misty, maybe we should leave the inn and camp out somewhere. No offense to you two, but we can't risk staying in one place for too long with you guys."   
Misty concurred,"Right, Ash. Let's get outta here." 

All of a sudden, three souped up and heavily armored motorcycles barrel down the slope surrounding the back lot. They tore into Brock's sport car, with Machamp reducing it to scrap with one blow. The scrap heap exploded, sending huge flames and fumes into the air. The silhouettes of the Rocket members and their bikes stood against the fire and twisted metal. Our heroes looked at them, shocked by their brazenness.   
Ash stood back in a rather stoic pose and calmly lets out, "We're kinda busy now fellas. I'm hoping you wouldn't mind taking a rain check on your next defeat."   
Kid, with a sinister laugh, says, "That's cute, but we're not gonna lose this time. We've brought stronger pokemon, seeing that you and your little friend are quite the masters. But not before our friend here has a little fun. Machamp, pound 'em down!!!"   
Machamp revved up his bike and started charging towards Ash, "GRRRAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!!!"   
Ash held his ground, timing himself to withdraw Bulbasaur's pokeball, but out of nowhere, Brock called a pokemon out before Ash could react, "Go Hitmonlee!!! Rolling Kick attack!!!   
Hitmonlee rolled out in front of Ash at lightning speed.   
'Flip...WHAAAMMM!!!'   
With one quick well-placed kick, it sent Machamp flying towards his teammates and its bike rolling on its side, leaving a trail of sparks before crashing into a nearby dumpster. Hitmonlee's kick nailed Machamp in the breadbasket. Machamp landed in front of his teammates, and got up.   
"HAH!!! You think that's gonna stop meee..e.e.e.e.e.e..." Machamp trailed off as he blacked out and toppled over. Billy and Kid looked at Machamp in shock that he had lost a match so quickly and unprecedented.   
Billy's nerve busted out of his forehead, "We lost once, but we aren't gonna lose to you dweebs again!!! Come on, Kid, let's show these wimps what we're made of!!! Go Nidoking!!!"   
Kid, perhaps the most kind-hearted and wise of the group, reluctantly unleashed one of her pokeballs, "Go Primeape..."   
"Nidoking, Horn Drill!!!" Billy commands.   
"Primeape, just hang out..." Kid yawns. 

Nidoking's Horn Drill tore into Hitmonlee, fainting it before it could counterattack. Brock quickly withdrew the fainted Hitmonlee, but Nidoking quickly faced our heroes and started charging, leaving potholes in the pavement as it ran forward. Misty, Brock, and Duplica started running away, but Ash kept his cool and stood his ground.   
Misty, seeing Ash wasn't moving an inch, shouts, "Ash, come on!!! My jeep's not too far!!!"   
"Come on, Ash!!! Run for it!!!" Brock yells.   
Ash narrows his eyes and answers, "Sorry guys!!! I'm not running from these clowns!!! They're not gonna threaten my friends and get away with it. Pikachu, remember our fight in Cinnabar Island? How you defeated Rhydon? Time for an encore!!!"   
"Pika!!!(Gotcha!!!)"   
Ash Ketchum, perhaps not the smartest guy in the world, compensated for it with his somewhat abnormal strength, superkeen agility, cunning and intuition. Of all his pokemon, he probably resembled Pikachu the most, which was perfect for the stunt he was about to pull. Ash's friends looked on in suspense as he bended his knees and lowered his head slightly. Pikachu climbed up Ash's leg and hid behind his backpack. Nidoking was charging full strength as Ash and Pikachu prepared for a custom technique.   
Three feet before Nidoking was about to hit Ash, he tumbled out the way, while Pikachu flipped in the air, and Nidoking stumbled in confusion. Pikachu landed on Nidoking's face and clasped onto its horn. Ash, quickly recovering from his sideflip yells, "Pikachu, Super Thunder Attack!!!"   
Pikachu unleashed a Thunder attack, which, amplified by the rainclouds, morphed into Super Thunder Attack quite easily, sending massive amounts of electricity coarsing through Nidoking's body through its horn, causing it to faint. Pikachu somersaulted off Nidoking's face and perched itself on Ash's outstretched forearm. His friends looked on in amazement at how well Ash and Pikachu had coordinated such an extraordinary attack as Billy recalled Nidoking.   
"You're not getting away with that!!! Go...," Billy was fumbling for another pokeball, but Kid had stopped him.   
"No, Billy. Primeape, drag Machamp onto the back of my bike."   
Our heroes, especially Ash, were surprised to see that one of the Rocket members was holding back.   
Kid, waving her dark hair to one side, talks, "You know, Ash...you're quite an impressive warrior. You battle as if you and your pokemon were one and the same. Believe it or not, I know about your little situation. Time has a way of falling back on itself. But for some reason, it seems to have fallen on you. When you get your act straight in this world, perhaps you should consider working for us. I'd love to partner up with you..."   
Ash gets a weird look on his face, "Huh?!"   
Misty scowls, "There's no way he'd work with a trashy thug like you!!!" 

"Hmm, you should keep better company, Ash. Her feelings towards you are quite ambivalent, whereas mine are quite crystal clear. Think about it, Ash. Until then, ciao lover boy..." Kid said as she blew him a kiss and left with her comrades.   
Our heroes looked on as they rode off into the distance. Ash wondered what to make of Kid's apparent knowledge of his time displacement. He stood there, until Misty shook his shoulder.   
"Ash!!! Snap out of it will ya and let's find a camp site! You're gonna have to tell all of us what we're getting into, and you're the person who can best explain what's going on."   
"Sorry, Misty," Ash said as he looked into the fire of Brock's destroyed car, "Let's go." 

Billy and Kid sped down the route, with Machamp recuperating rather peacefully. There was a bit of silence, until Billy found the nerve to ask Kid a burning question.   
"Kid, not to be nosy, but what didja mean back there when you said you knew about that kid's situation?"   
"Billy, I'm host to classified knowledge about Team Rocket's top secret ops. I can't tell you."   
"Then one question. If our mission is just to secure that Misty girl's deed, why are you showing so much interest in that Ash boy? He's not critical to our goal."   
Kid, peeved at Billy's persistence, fashions an answer, "Ash has taken it upon himself to protect Misty. I'll make a deal with you if you don't ask anymore questions. You and Machamp can have Misty's deed and the reward that goes with it all to yourselves, but only if you assist me in capturing Ash as well. I'll only tell you that Giovanni's personally interested in the boy..."   
Billy, giddy at the request, " What would Master Giovanni want with that boy? My, what some women will say to have a love toy. But if that's your deal, count me in!!!" 

A fire burned brightly near the western forest of Mt. Moon. The four friends had to backtrack because of the increased police activity due to the commotion at the Rollin' Golem Inn. Everyone had decided to take a rest before continuing with whatever Ash had in mind. Brock was cooking, while Duplica had taken it upon herself to check their pokemon. Pikachu started taking a nap while Misty finished securing the tents. She had nothing better to do, so she decided to check up on Ash. He had taken off for more firewood, but had stopped to take a rest and ponder his next move near a small pond. It didn't take too long for Misty to find Ash.   
"What's up, Ash? You seem worried."   
"Oh, don't mind me. I'm just thinkin' about stuff. That's all."   
"Hmm, well don't think too hard. Though I've already promised them a fair amount of money just a moment ago, you're gonna have to convince these two of some pretty unbelievable stuff. They might leave if you say the wrong thing."   
"Misty...how was I at convincing you?"   
"Huh? Well..."   
"I mean, you looked like you took my story pretty hard, and I've been feeling bad about it ever since."   
Misty, a little saddened, "Ash...don't feel bad. I...I have to admit, you did hurt me. Even now, I have some doubts and fears..."   
"Then why'd ya wanna come with me?" Ash asked.   
Misty wasn't sure how to answer his question, or whether she wanted to. She was angry at him for telling her about his situation and even having the nerve to ask her to join him in his quest so bluntly, but she adored the compassion he had in his eyes when he held her by the shoulders that night in Cerulean, trying to comfort her. Whether it was out of love or not, she wasn't sure, but Ash had quickly become the sword to her shield, and she wasn't about to let go just yet.   
"I'm just curious. I'm always on the lookout for a good adventure!" Misty said, unable to look into Ash's eyes in honesty.   
"Oh, well...if we're dealing with Team Rocket, we're bound for plenty of adventure, don'tcha think?"   
"Yeah..." 

"SOUP'S ON!!!" Brock yelled in the distance, eager to try out his new recipe.   
Ash and Misty got up, a little weary of their travels, and eager to chow down. Misty may have agreed to pay the young outlaws, but to receive the most out them, Ash knew he needed to convince Brock and Duplica of his situation and gain their trust in the process.   
"Maybe Satoshi can help me out..." Ash pondered as he ran to the camp site. 

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	3. Epic III

**Le Disclaimer:** No one really owns pokemon, if you think about it. Formless entities called corporations "own" the intellectual property rights and several shareholders, who pretty much had nothing to do with the creation of Pokemon save for investing in it, make the money off of it, even if Satoshi Tajiri did originate the concept. It can't be said it is owned by one particular person completely. Capitalism can be so weird...but now I'm rambling. 

**Ze Author's Note: **GRRRRRRR...THE MASTER OF AGES SAGA CONTINUES!!! Big apologies for all action lovers in advance. A lot of story development is gonna happen in this installment of the Master of Ages, so don't expect a lot of pokemon fainting, mallet swinging, or whatever. But not to keep you bored, I threw in a big fire in somewhere, and a few quick fights here and there. This is all in preparation for the next episode, where the epic war against Team Rocket is waged, with the older more powerful Jesse, James, and Meowth facing off against the twerps, or the "un-twerps" in a battle of earth-shaking proportions with a surprising conclusion and turn of events to follow. Ash's life ain't gonna get any easier, I'll tell you. As always, ideas, questions, comments, and flames are welcome at edgeknght@earthlink.net. I need sleep... 

**CHAPTER 9: REVELATION**

"I know you're all probably wondering why an absolute stranger like myself is gathering you for my journey. The truth of the matter is that I'm lost and I need to find my way home."   
Misty, Brock, and Duplica had finished with the wonderful meal Brock had prepared. Pikachu had fallen asleep in Misty's arms and Ash had stood up, eager to explain what was going on.   
"Getting home is a pretty simple job, Ash. I don't know why you need us." Brock said.   
"Be quiet, Brock. Let Ash talk," Misty whispered.   
Ash let out a sweatdrop before continuing, "Not so simple, Brock. My home is another timeline and another reality altogether, one where I traveled on a pokemon journey with you and Misty. We shared many adventures, learned a lot from each other, and were in constant battle with Team Rocket."   
"Ash, is that what that Kid girl meant when she mentioned time falling on you?" Misty asked.   
"I don't know how she knows about me, but she's definitely a piece of the puzzle. But for some reason, someone in this time kidnapped me before I ever set out on my pokemon journey. That's why none of you ever met me or remember me."   
"This all sounds pretty far out. If all you're saying is true, then who took care of my gym if I left it to go with you on this journey you're talking about?" Brock questioned.   
"Your father Flint took care of your gym and your family."   
"But...Dad returned just last year. How could he have returned sooner?"   
"In my timeline, he helped me power up Pikachu and defeat you. He wanted you to leave home so you can hone your breeding skills, so he took your place. Look, I don't want to get into particulars. I'm confused enough as it is."   
"Is there any other way you can prove your story? I'm quite skeptical here," Duplica asked.   
Ash grabbed a pokeball, "Go, Satoshi!!!"   
Satoshi came out and hovered in front of Ash, the illumination of the fire bouncing off his body.   
"Woof..."   
"Whoa! I've never seen a pokemon like that before!" Brock exclaimed as he eyed Satoshi.   
"This is Watchdawg. But you can call him Satoshi." Ash spoke.   
"Where'd you find him?"   
"Satoshi, maybe you should help. You'd be a lot more convincing." 

Satoshi hovered above the four, sprinkling strange dust over the fire, causing it to grow into a huge flame which enveloped Ash, but he didn't burn. The sky darkened, and even the ground beneath them disappeared. Everyone was somewhat frightened, except Ash, who has seen even more incredible things before. He stood inside of the flame, which had become transparent, and his friends were able to see him.   
"Ash, stand still and free your mind." Satoshi said telepathically. He did as he was told, and Satoshi floated to the other side of the fire, "Now, you three. Close your eyes and reach into the flame."   
His friends slowly and reluctantly reached into the flame. Surprisingly, they weren't burned, but felt like they were touching thick air. In an instant, they all saw Ash's experiences and memories of them. Misty saw his first memories of her, and how they had become really good friends even if their relationship started off pretty rocky. Brock saw his memories of their travels and the countless gorgeous women they encountered along the way. Duplica, on the other hand, didn't see much, only when Ash and his friends helped her rescue her Ditto and rebuild the Imite House. Though Misty and Brock were touched and thrilled, Duplica wasn't enthusiastic at all. The fire dissipated into the darkness, and instantly, they were back at the campsite.   
There was a silence for a few seconds until Misty muttered out, "We should get to bed."   
Ash concurred, "Right, and if you guys still want to stick around, we'll discuss the plan tomorrow."   
Brock, always accustomed to calling the shots without consulting Duplica, "Don't worry. Count us in!!!"   
Duplica, this time however, was not in agreement, but didn't say a word and kept silent. 

There were only two tents available and everyone quickly decided who was taking them.   
"Duplica and I can sleep in the larger one. We're used to sleeping in close quarters," Brock said.   
Ash and Misty looked at the smaller tent and before Misty could say anything, Ash responded, " I can sleep out tonight. You take the tent, Misty. If you don't mind, can Pikachu sleep in the tent with you?"   
Misty, seeing the clouds from the drizzle still looming, says,"No I don't mind, but what if it rains, Ash?"   
"Things can't get any worse for me than they already are. I'll take my chances. Good night."   
Ash stepped away not too far and pulled out his sleeping bag as everyone went to their tents, pondering the events of the day, though they quickly found sleep much easier. 

Three heavily armed, silent black duo-helicopters and a flock of Pidgeots painted black flew across the skies of Neon Town. They were known as the Freefall Gang, a band of small-time terrorists notorious for committing stealthy operations. Expedient arson, theft and kidnapping were their specialty. Their leader, known through the continent's underworld as the Raven, made the gang's living by contracts, and Team Rocket was a frequent client of their services whenever they had a quick and dirty job to get done.   
Raven, always on one of the choppers, was having a private phone conversation, "So lemme get this straight. You want us to go into some small town, kidnap some old geezer, steal his pokeballs and research data, and torch his pad?"   
"Hmm, you learn fast. Normally, we would undertake the task ourselves, but this job is what you would call an exercise in corporate restructuring. One of our associates needs a little incentive to work harder." Jesse said smilingly.   
"I see. But I'll have to ask for 5 million this time, since you seem to know this...Professor Oak, and you probably want him rather safe. Think of it as an insurance fee."   
"That's rather steep, but it can be done. But if you're gonna charge that much, then do torch some nearby houses, just to make it all look like just a little accident."   
"Now, Jesse, about that date I proposed."   
"Hmm, Raven...I'm rather flattered, but I'll take a rain check."   
"Rain check?"   
"Yes, just to give you some time to fondle that extra cash you asked for. See ya later!!!"   
Jesse cut Raven off, just as he was about to pound the monitor. James was resting in the lounge of their office, looking at an old picture of himself, Jesse, and Meowth, when they used to be simple pokemon thieves.   
"We looked so happy. Hmm, how time changes us all," James sighed to himself as he looked at Jesse, once a sight he had admired and respected, but over time he had come to pity and feel sorry for. 

"James!!! Snap out of your trance and come here!"   
"So what's the deal, Jess? Did Raven have second thoughts about our plan?"   
"No, it's not about that. Gary Oak is what concerns me. I've heard from our mole in the research division that Gary's sister was the one who had discovered and applied the principles of space-time displacement."   
"Huh?"   
Persian-Meowth, sitting on one of the chairs interjects, " Time travel, James. The ability to traverse ages in an instant."   
Jesse continues, "There were rumors about some pretty extraordinary breakthroughs in our top secret research division, so I hired a mole to supply us with information regarding such research. He's currently in the pokegenics division, working as a research assistant and part-time field watcher. His name is Tracey."   
James sneers,"Aren't you the resourceful insider! But what if Gary finds out?"   
"He won't, and if he did, he can't do anything about it. Team Rocket's partially funding his firm's research, so it's not unusual that we keep a close eye on his work."   
"Then why this plan to kidnap his grandfather?"   
"Because," Persian-Meowth snarled, " our agent also tells us he's seen Gary debating with his sister about cutting financial ties with Team Rocket and continuing their research with someone else. I figure the two of them need some convincing to stay with us, and perhaps their grandfather might like to contribute to the research as well. If our organization is able to walk across the sands of time, Team Rocket can easily rule this planet. Giovanni doesn't discuss it in so many words, but I know of a massive recruiting campaign in effect next month. I know he's plotting a takeover of epic proportions. Now, let's get on to other business. The Cerulean Gym leader's deed."   
James sneered, "Meowth, we're talking about taking over the world by time travel. Why the big deal over a small deed?"   
Jesse ended,"That deed and the gym that goes with it holds the final key to taking over the world." 

A moderate gang of cops surrounded Brock's tent with Officer Jenny heading the pack. Oddly enough, Misty's tent, which was right next to his, wasn' t there. They had originally camped on top of a hill steep on one side, and Ash the night before, had decided to sleep down the hill on the steep side, hidden from the sight of the police. Misty awoke to the noise of sirens and cops yelling.   
"You're all under arrest,!!!"Officer Jenny yelled as she stuck her flashlight into Brock and Duplica's tent.   
"Ash, wake up!!!"Misty said, shaking Ash's shoulder. Pikachu, knowing Ash slept like a rock, touched Ash's hand with his tail and unleashed a light thundershock.   
"Waaaahhh!!! Huh?" Ash woke up to see Misty next to him with Pikachu, "How'd I get in here?"   
"You looked uncomfortable, so I...wiggled the tent over here, but that's not important. Officer Jenny found us. And there's a ton of cops everywhere!!! We gotta do something!!!"   
"What can we do, Misty?"   
"Maybe we should talk to them and clear everything up,"she suggested.   
"That might not work. Brock and Duplica are on the run, and by the looks of the things, we might be thrown in jail too. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but in order to fight Team Rocket....I'm gonna have to become them, a criminal. I guess I don't have a choice now."   
"Huh?" Misty exclaimed in shock.   
"I'm gonna have to fight the cops or I'll be stuck in a jail cell and this timeline forever, but still, I don't want to ruin your reputation as a pokemon master..." Ash paused for a minute and, probably from Pikachu's thundershock, got a brilliant idea.   
"I got it!!! Misty, disquise yourself, sneak into the jeep and get it ready. I'll disquise myself too and handle the cops,"   
Misty snuck out, worried about Ash's decision, but mindful of how right he was in the matter. Fortunately, Ash chose a pretty concealed area to sleep, and even more fortunate, Misty's affections compelled her to move her tent over him.   
Ash sighed, "Sorry to do this Officer Jenny, but we need our friends on the run just a bit longer,"   
He jumped out the tent and snuck up the hill and yelled, "Go Bulbasaur!! Sleep Powder!!!"   
The police were caught entirely by surprise, and all of them fell asleep, except for Officer Jenny, who oddly enough, had a gas mask on.   
"You're gonna have to do better than that, kid. I'm always prepared," Officer Jenny smirked. She reached for a pokeball, "Go, Arcanine!!! Flamethrower!!!"   
Arcanine came out and blasted a stream of fire at both Ash and his Bulbasaur. The two dodged the fire barely, but Ash, constantly mindful of the battle, commanded his Bulbasaur with ease.   
"Bulbasaur, trip it with your Vine Whip!!!"   
Bulbasaur flung his vines, but Officer Jenny retaliated rather quickly.   
"Arcanine!!! Ember!!!"   
Ash knew he was at a disadvantage, for Bulbasaur's vines reached too late, and were severely burned by the flurry of fire Arcanine blasted.   
"Arcanine!!! Take Down!!!" Jenny commanded with conceit, "Kid, the judge is gonna throw the book at you for resisting arrest!!!   
Ash, with thoughts of prison in an alternate reality pressing him on, commands, "Bulbasaur, Leech Seed!!!"   
Bulbasaur unleashed Leech Seed, ensnaring Arcanine and quickly sapping away his strength. Knowing the mind of its trainer, Bulbasaur subdued both Arcanine and Officer Jenny with its vines.   
"Good job, Bulbasaur. Now use your Sleep Powder and let's get outta here!!!"   
Bulbasaur quickly put the two to sleep with its powder and returned to its pokeball. Misty drove up to the campsite while Ash called Brock and Duplica, telling them to hurry to Misty's jeep before anything else happened. 

Brock thanked them, "Wow, I guess that means we're cool, huh? Let's go before the cops wakes up! We can talk about the plan on the way." Always the consummate gentleman, Brock threw a blanket on Officer Jenny before getting on the jeep.   
"So where's our next stop?"Duplica asked.   
"Pallet Town!!!" Misty exclaimed, putting the pedal to the floor and speeding out of the forest.   
"Waaaaaahhhh!!!" Ash yelped, almost getting himself and Pikachu thrown out of the jeep.   
Brock, letting out a major sweatdrop, whispered to Ash, "Is this how she usually drives?!"   
"Yeah, Misty's a little twisty on the road," Ash muttered back, only to get one of Misty's fingers pulling one side of his mouth.   
"What are you saying about my driving?!" she loudly asked.   
"Wah..wah...wah...wah, err I basn't tawkin 'bout yer dwivin!!!"he blathered out as best he could with a finger in his mouth.   
"Remind me to talk to your mother about where you got such a big mouth, Mr. Criminal!"Misty said with a lusty smirk as they rode down to Pallet. 

**CHAPTER 10: ASHES TO ASH**

"CLEAR THE PATH!!!" yelled the Pallet Town volunteer fireman.   
The attack was swift, precise and as stealthy as Raven's gang was infamous for. Professor Oak was gone and several nearby houses were ablaze, including one very familiar home. The only occupant of the home was trapped in her son's room surrounded by blazes. Ironically, she thought to herself, she was to die in the very room where her son was kidnapped so long ago.   
"Did you call the Viridian City fire squad?"   
"Yes, but by the time they get here, we won't have anything left to salvage!" 

Our heroes drove down the path to Pallet, unbeknown to them the recent attack of Raven and his Freefall Gang. Brock and Duplica were asleep, and Ash was nodding off with Pikachu. Misty was hypnotized by the road, until the distant blazes caught her attention.   
"Ash!!! Wake up!!!"   
"Huh, what the?"   
"Look! A fire in...Pallet Town?"   
"No!!!"   
"Pika!!!"   
Misty, step on it!!!"   
"Right!!!"   
Misty put the pedal to the floor, as the shift in inertia awoke both Brock and Duplica.   
"Hey what's the deal?!" Brock and Duplica shouted simultaneously.   
Ash turned around and motioned his hand, "You guys!!! Pallet Town's on fire!!! We have to do something quick!!!"   
The little blue jeep sped down the path as fast as it could, reaching the outskirts of the town, but was unable to go any further, as crowds of people were displaced in the streets, barricaded away by the local firemen. Misty stopped the jeep and quickly jumped out, while Ash wondered what she had in mind.   
"Ash, we have to go to your house, quick!!!"   
"Right!!! Come on!!!"   
Pikachu held on to Ash's backpack, while he grabbed Misty's hand and told Brock and Duplica to handle the other fires.   
"Will do, Ash!!!" Brock confirmed.   
"You can count on us!" chimed Duplica.   
Misty yelled, "We'll meet up at the jeep later!" as she was pulled by Ash into the crowd towards his house. They reached his home, to find the upper half consumed by fire. Ash, worried his mom might be trapped inside, attempted to run inside, but was stopped by Misty.   
"Ash, you can't! It's too dangerous!"   
"I didn't see my mom in the crowd we just passed. I have to make sure she's not in there!"   
He shook her hand off his arm and ran into the house, only to get held back again.   
"Here...take Fullfrog. He can help your Squirtle battle the blazes inside."   
"Thanks!!! Pikachu, stay with Misty!!!"   
"Pika!!! (Be careful!!!)   
Ash ran into the house, immediately dodging a falling board that greeted him upon entry. He looked in the living room, the kitchen, and the den, with no sight of his mom. He had to run up the stairs, but half the staircase was destroyed by the fire, and there was no way up.   
"Squirtle, Fullfrog!!! Go!!!"   
He called out the two pokemon and told them to go ahead and look for survivors. Squirtle, an experienced and proud firefighter, took charge and, with Fullfrog's bouncy body and leaping skills, jumped on his back and hopped over the gap in the staircase.   
"Don't worry about me, guys!!! Find my mom and protect her!!! I'll be up there soon!!!"   
"Squirt!"   
"Full!" 

"I have to do something, " Misty thought to herself as she called out all her pokemon, all of which knew some kind of water based attack.   
"Starmie, Dragonite, Grumpback, Seaking! Aim your Water Gun above the house!!!" Misty commanded, careful not to have them directly water the house, knowing the sheer force of any of their blasts could easily crumble it.   
"Be okay, Ash..." she let out under her breath.   
Ash remembered his mom's ladder, which she kept in the basement. He quickly found the basement, got the ladder, propped it up and climbed up to the second floor. Squirtle and Fullfrog had cleared the hallway of any fire, and Ash ran first to his mom's room, and then to his room. Both the pokemon found his mom and had put out most of the fire, but the roof was still ablaze and starting to crumble. Fullfrog was about to aim his water gun upwards until Squirtle stopped him.   
"Squirtle-squirt-squirt!!! (No, you'll cave in the roof!!!)"   
Fullfrog stopped as Ash ran towards them.   
"Mom!!! Err...Ma'am!!! Are you okay?!"   
Delia, Ash's mom responded,"Yes, thank you, but how are we gonna get out?"   
"Squirtle, Fullfrog!!! Water gun the window!"   
The two sprayed through the window, the shards melting into the patio roof.   
"Fullfrog, carry her out!!! Squirtle and I will follow you!!!"   
Ash's mom jumped on Fullfrog's back and with incredible ease, bounce out of the window, off the patio roof, and down in front of Misty and her entourage of pokemon.   
"Fullfrog, you're here!!!, she said, helping Ash's mom off Fullfrog, "But where's Ash?!"   
"Frrrog," Fullfrog said as it pointed its suction toe towards the house. Misty looked up to see Ash at the window recalling Squirtle.   
"Ash, what're you waiting for?! Get outta there now!!!" she yelled.   
"Pika!!! (Come on!)"   
Mrs. Ketchum, stunned by the strange girl's words said to herself, "Ash?...no...it can't be..."   
"Don't worry, Misty! I'm coming out!"   
As soon as he was about to leave the window, the wall surrounding the window caved in, almost crushing Ash, but missing by an inch.   
"ASH!!! NO!!!" Misty yelled heartbroken, for from her vantage point, it looked like Ash was caught by the cave-in. Tears started to form in her eyes as she crumpled down on her knees. Ash, a little shaken by the near-death experience he just had, quickly ran down the hall. He was able to easily jump down from the staircase and ran towards the front door where he came in, but it was completely obstructed by flaming debris. He then turned around and scrambled towards the back, dodging falling boards left and right, and made it to the back door. Locked. Fire was everywhere, and he was trapped.   
"What now?" he thought to himself.   
Unexpectedly, Satoshi jumped out of his pokeball.   
"Woof. You know, you should use me more often."   
Satoshi, with a wave of his paw, unlocked the door.   
"Thanks, Satoshi!!! Next time!!!"   
The Watchdawg ran back into its pokeball, as Ash quickly ran out the door before the rest of the house caved in. He ran around the house to the front, looking at all of Misty's pokemon and his mom trying to comfort Misty, still on the ground holding her tears back.   
"Hey!!!" Ash yelled, "Is everyone alright?"   
"Huh?" Misty looked up, seeing Ash running away from the blaze, "You're alive!"   
Mrs. Ketchum let go as Misty ran towards Ash, hugging him and burying her head in his coat, wetting it with her tears. Ash, not knowing how to feel, but mindful of how she felt, hesitated but comforted her slowly and lovingly.   
"I'm alright, Mist," he said as she rubbed away her tears and blushed a little, "I'll take my mom to the local clinic. You go and help Brock and Duplica put out the rest of the fires with your water pokemon."   
"Right!" Misty smiled. 

Brock and Duplica couldn't do much to stop the fires, but they excelled in getting people out of the blazes. His Steelix easily acted as a staircase, and was unique in that he trained it to resist fire. Duplica swiftly escorted people out of buildings. When there were too many people to fit on Steelix, she quickly called her Ditto to duplicate Steelix and provide a second staircase. They had finally reached Professor Oak's estate, which over the course of five years, had sprouted a few research buildings. Most of Oak's assistants were out, but some of their children, who liked to play on the roof, were trapped.   
"Duplica, both my Steelix and your transformed Ditto combined can't reach up there. We have to figure something out!"   
Duplica, being the resourceful one of the pair says, "Brock, I'll go up on my own. Just give me a boost. Stay here on the ledge and catch the kids as I drop them down. Got it?"   
Brock, a little stunned, stood there, concerned for his friend, who was about to leap in the face of danger.   
"Brock!!! Come on!!! Give me a boost!"   
She put her hands on Brock's shoulders, while he boosted her upwards with his hands. She easily jumped in the air, grabbing onto the ledge and climbing up. Duplica ran towards the kids and motioned them to the ledge where Brock was waiting. His good physique was capable of handle the task of catching falling kids, and one by one jumped down, were caught by Brock, and ran down the pair of Steelixes. Duplica was about to leave, until one of the kids tugged at her leg.   
"Miss, ya gotta listen to me!!!"   
"We can talk later, kid. You have to get down now!" Duplica responded.   
"No, the town was attacked by black Pidgeots with guys on their back. They started the fire!!!"   
"What!!!"   
"Me an' the other kids saw 'em. One of them fell off on this building. He's on the other side!!!"   
Duplica knew who the kid was talking about from the his description. Her and Brock were familiar with many facets of the underworld, and no doubt, this was the work of the Freefall Gang. She and Brock had tangled with them before, once foiling one of their arson schemes by stealing and freeing their Pidgeots, but it seems that didn't stop them.   
"Go ahead, kid. I'll find 'im," Duplica said as the kid left.   
"Freefallers...it has to be them. This is just how they operate. Guess we can have ourselves a source of information if I capture one." she thought to herself as she ran along the edge of the building, avoiding the fires as she went.   
"DUPLICA!!!" Brock yelled as the same kid tugged on Brock's pant leg.   
"Mister, the ninja lady left to find the guy in black feathers," the kid said.   
"Huh? What are you talkin' about?"   
"Your friend!!! She's looking for the guy who rode one of the black Pidgeots!!!"   
"Freefallers...," Brock muttered. 

Duplica, ever the master of stealth and mystery, spotted the injured Freefaller, and ran to him. She noticed he was dazed, so she decided to play a trick. She grabbed some of the stray feathers that fell off his outfit and fitted it to her ninja-like clothing, imitating a Freefaller.   
"Dude, like let's get outta here before the Jennies arrive!!!" she said using standard thug slang.   
"Whoa!!! Right on, dude!!!" the dazed Freefaller responded.   
Duplica knew Freefallers were very familial and watched out for each other, which is the reason why they were never caught. Fortunately for her, this one's brethren didn't pick him up just yet. She reached the ledge where Brock stood, still waiting for her.   
"Hey, you're kinda short for a Freefaller. That and you have big breasts!!! You're a girl!!!" the Freefaller exclaimed, since no girls were assigned on tonight's mission.   
"That's right!!! Thanks for noticing!!!" she blushed as she pushed him over the ledge towards Brock.   
He fell into Brock's arms, passing out during the fall.   
Brock looked at the Freefaller, smirking a little and thinking to himself, "I guess I'll have to handle the interrogation. What're you waiting for, Duplica? Jump down!!"   
She stood at the ledge, "Move outta the way, Brock!!! I can make it down myself!!!"   
Brock scaled down the Steelixes with the Freefaller in tow, as Duplica jumped down with the grace and agility of a cat. The firetrucks finally arrived, though Misty's pokemon had already squelched most of the fires. Ash's friends, along with their hostage Freefaller, reunited at Misty's jeep and sped up to the local clinic to meet up with him. They ran inside to find his mother and Pikachu, but there was no sign of Ash. Misty was quick to ask her what happened.   
"Ma'am, what happened to the boy who brought you here?"   
"He left. He...ran off to Oak's lab...in search of something he said."   
"Huh? But it's destroyed. Why would he want to go back there?"Misty asked her.   
"I don't know, but he seemed a little disturbed by what just happened."   
Duplica placed the Freefaller into one of the rooms, joining the others later. Brock wondered why Ash had left so unexpectedly and volunteered to find him, but was cut off by Misty.   
"I'll go. You stay here and keep her company until I get back."   
"Right," her friends agreed as she ran off into the smoky night towards Oak's lab, but before leaving, Mrs. Ketchum called her name.   
"Misty! Make sure...my son's okay..."   
She gently smiled back to her as she ran out of the clinic, curious as to her companion's disappearance. 

**CHAPTER 11: DAWN OF THE DARK ONE**

"It's all gone. He's gone."   
Smoke draped across the rubble and broken walls, passing across his body at midwaist. He started approaching the charred steps of the lab, waxing nostalgic over a destroyed pokeball he picked up, reminiscing over the time he was given Pikachu and sent forth on his journey. But in the world he was in now, it never happened. It all seemed like a lost cause now. He was stuck in a nightmare of a world and probably his only chance of ever getting out of it, Professor Oak, was gone.   
He started to walk away, until the smoke started to get thicker, obscuring his view and out of nowhere, someone called to him.   
"Hello there."   
"Huh? Who's out there?" Ash responded a little startled.   
"Interesting question. Look into the smoke and see my form."   
"What, you're not making any sense!"   
"Just look, father..."   
Ash became stunned by what the strange voice he was hearing called him, "Huh...father?!" He looked into the smoke, and slowly it began to take shape. It developed into a form his height, slowly morphing into something that looked exactly like him, though bearing distinctive features. Oddly enough, it was dressed almost like Ash when he was 10.   
"Who...who are you?" Ash said, "You look just like me."   
"It matters not who I am, but the destiny I hold for you. I know of your little problem with time. I know because I hold the answer to your problems."   
"And what might that be?" Ash retorted, with heavy skepticism.   
"I am a friend. I have been sent to guide you away from the lies of Chronine and his vile Watchdawgs. He is the one who is deceiving you. You are merely a tool in which he plans to bind the strings of space-time into one, enslaving all humans and pokemon into a timeless sphere, with him as your ruler."   
"What? You can't be serious. He brought me here so I can save myself from being kidnapped!"   
"That is untrue. You were thrown into this world as a slave to do his bidding. In this time and place, the enemies you know as Team Rocket have funded a time travel project, and in doing so, kidnapped you out of your bed before your journey, and are planning to rearrange time to rule the world unchallenged. Chronine, fearful of Team Rocket's imminent rise to power, is attempting to use you to wield the power of the machine for his own purposes."   
"Waaaa!!! Why should I believe you?!"   
The Ash-like shadow continued, "Chronine can't cross into human time, so he needs human hands to wield the machine. Your hands."   
"Then what should I do? I want to go back home."   
"Very simple. Just hand me the Watchdawg and it'll all be over."   
"Satoshi..." Ash muttered, grabbing the ball, but pausing for a very long moment until the shadow talked.   
"Come on, Ash...what fear do you have of handing me your Watchdawg? It is merely using you for Chronine's purposes."   
Ash stretched his hand out to the shadow, but was interrupted by an approaching voice.   
"Ash!!! Are you up here!!!" Misty called out exhaustedly.   
The shadow attempted to snatch Satoshi's ball out of Ash's hand, but Ash proved too quick for it, and flicked his hand out of the way.   
"You almost fooled me."   
"GGGRRRRRRRR!!!!!" the shadow growled, morphing into a cavernous roar.   
Misty ran into Ash, but he quickly pulled her behind him as he stared down the shadow, which had transformed into a darker mass, pushing away the smoke around them.   
Misty gasped, too shocked for words to see the dark mass in the form of Ash.   
"Aaaah...Misty. I see you came looking for father. But little do you know of his hatred. His evil. Still, before I leave you two, let me leave you with these words. Is the love that you seek before you or merely after you? Does it make any difference whether you knew him five days ago or five years ago? Is helping him regain his existence worth the erasure of your own? Heh..heh..heh...HAA!!! HAA!!! HAA!!! HAA!!! HAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"   
The two of them stood there, not knowing what to make of what they just saw.   
"Ash...I'm scared."   
"Don't be. I don't know what or who that was, but it's gone now. We'll talk about it later. We should head back to the clinic. How is everyone? How's my mom?"   
"Everyone's okay, but the doctors are giving your mom some oxygen. That and she knows who you are."   
The pair ran into Misty's jeep and sped off towards the clinic, haunted by the strange apparition they saw in the ruins of Oak's lab. 

"You're here! Great to have you back! Your mother's inside and doing okay." Brock said.   
"Right. I'm going in. Come on, Pikachu!" Ash said, taking a few steps, "And you too, Misty. I want you to come along, too."   
"Oh. Okay!" she paused, a little surprised Ash wanted her company now.   
They walk in, the room half-lit as a small lamp shone on his mother's face. Ash steps lightly, noticing her eyes were wandering around the room, until they ultimately fixated themselves upon her visitors.   
"Th...thank you...God. I knew you'd come back to me some day..."she said.   
"Mom...how did you know it was me?"   
"Ever since the day you disappeared...I thought of you everyday, and saw you grow in my mind. You look so much like your father. I'm so proud," Delia Ketchum said, noticing Misty behind him.   
"Ash, I didn't think you'd find a girlfriend so quick!"   
"No, she's my best friend. Her name's Misty."   
"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum." Misty replied nervously.   
"Nice to meet you, Misty. Ash, where were you all these years? What happened to you the night you were supposed to leave on your pokemon journey?"   
He didn't know how to answer. Ash had a difficult enough time explaining his origins to his friends, and even found it hard to believe himself. He wasn't compelled to tell his mom his unbelievable story seeing her in her condition. He paused, thinking what to say next, until Misty interjected.   
"Mrs. Ketchum, Ash, maybe I should leave. You and your mom need some time alone for you to straighten things out and explain what's been going on."   
"Pika-pika-pi. (I'll go too.)"   
"Right," Ash said reluctantly.   
"I'll be outside. It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Ketchum."   
Ash paused for a long moment, bowing his head while his mother strongly embraced him. He uncontrollably started weeping, letting out the details of his ordeal. Unbeknownst to them, Misty observed them from the window with concern, with Pikachu hanging on her shoulder equally concerned.   
"Pika-pi (Ash.)"   
Misty, in the back of her mind, was still haunted by what the shadow had said to her back at Oak's ruined lab. She pondered what the smoky figure had said to her before it vanished, " Is helping him regain his existence worth the erasure of your own?" Yes, she wanted to help Ash, but what would happen to her if she did? She was proud and happy with her life, her accomplishments, and her success. One would normally opt for their own well-being, but before her she saw a wounded and lost boy, someone that strangely inspired her compassion and anger, and by all means posed a threat to the life that she knows. How would she turn out if he returns to his place in the timeline? When Satoshi let her and Brock touch the flame of his mind, she saw the memories he had of her, but none of the sentiment or soul. In the end she was left still with the same question, one inspired by denial and fear, "Why were we together, Ash?" 

Elsewhere, Brock and Duplica were having a session with the Freefaller they captured. Duplica and Brock had run into a janitor closet and had disquised themselves as police. Brock was in gruntish policeman clothes, Duplica in her Jenny uniform. They walked to the Freefaller's room, running into a Nurse Joy.   
"We're here to interrogate the perpetrator, Nurse Joy!" Duplica said authoritatively.   
Nurse Joy said, "Oh, you're here rather late, Officer Jenny. You're usually off duty at this hour."   
The two unleashed big sweatdrops, but Duplica quickly responded, "Wherever there's crime, I have to be on duty regardless of the hour! Now leave us alone please, so we can continue."   
"Okay, if you need me, I'll be at the reception area." Brock couldn't stop blushing and said to Duplica, "Gee, I didn't know Nurse Joys worked in human hospitals as well."   
Duplica smacked Brock on the head, "Quit screwing around, Brock and let's grill the guy before the real authorities get here!"   
"Right!" Brock agreed, reaching for some smelling salts and waking up the knocked out Freefaller. He awoke startled, noticing he was strapped to the hospital bed he was put in. Duplica paced back and forth until pausing and setting her eyes to her captive.   
"I ain' tellin' ya a thing, Jenny!" he exclaimed.   
Brock, always defensive of her literal partner-in-crime, grabbed the Freefaller by the collar and put a pair of tweezers in front of his nose, some feathers falling off as he was pulled up, "You talk to her like that again, and I start plucking, and I don't mean feathers."   
"Okay!!! Okay!!! I'll talk!!!"   
Duplica continued, " Now, let's start with your boss." 

His mother fell asleep without him noticing, and he slowly withdrew his head from her embrace, resting her head onto the pillow. He got up and walked out of the room, looking back every second or so. Suddenly he felt a hand grab his and gently pull him away from the threshold.   
"Ash, we need to talk," Misty said worriedly.   
"Yeah. Pikachu, please stay with my mom until I get back."   
"Pika!"   
The pair stepped out onto the clinic's gardens, exhausted and distraught over the recent disaster that befell Pallet. They sat down on a small stump wearily, yet the full moon comforted them slightly as they conversed.   
"It's kinda my fault your mom found out who you were. I yelled out your name during the fire, wondering if you were okay."   
"Fault? Don't act as if it was a bad thing. She found out I'm still alive. That's what counts,"Ash sat straight up and looked at the moon, "But now, I don't know what to do. Professor Oak is dead, probably my only lead towards finding whoever was responsible for my kidnapping."   
"Don't tell me you're giving up?! After pulling me and the others from our lives and finding your mom, you're telling me you're giving up?"   
Ash flared up, "I didn't say I was giving up!!! I'm not stupid enough to give up! I'll get my life back and make it back to my time no matter what! I just have to think..."   
"Hey, I got! Ask Satoshi!" Misty said, usually the one with the best ideas. Satoshi popped out the pokeball as soon as he heard its name, "I see why she's important to you, Ash. She compensates for what you lack in other qualities."   
Ash groaned, "Satoshi, Professor Oak's dead. He was probably my only lead to find whoever kidnapped me from my time. What do I do now?"   
"Nothing. The answer will come to you soon. I believe Misty has a more important question."   
Misty was baffled, "How did you know I wanted to ask something?"   
"I can read minds. Now, what is your question?"   
"Who or what was that thing we saw at Oak's lab?"   
Ash concurred, "Yeah Satoshi. What was that all about? And why did it call me father?" 

Satoshi waved his paw, and small images formed on the clock on its belly,"The creature you saw, the being...is known as...Red. He is a terrifyingly powerful entity from a cold, distant mirror dimension. In his world, he became known as the Leader Red, the ultimate, legendary pokemon master, invincible in combat and feared throughout the world. He and his Pikachu were thought to be unstoppable. They had conquered the 8 gyms of Kanto, demolished the combined forces of the Elite Four, and put to ruins the organization you know as the vile Team Rocket."   
"He's.....he's me?"   
"Very much so, but he lacks something you have, Ash."   
"What's that?"   
"He lacked life. His was a world of data, of silicon. Love and friendship were non-existent there. He committed an awful sin in his dimension. He started to develop feelings, something no other beings in his dimension were capable of. It is unknown why or how he developed those feelings."   
Misty stared at an image of Red, "That's...so sad."   
"Then one day, he was challenged by a trainer from the lands of Johto. The battle was long and hard, and the mountain in which they battled shook to the foundations, and were felt from the far corners of the world. He lost the battle, and was dethroned by his young challenger. He had developed several feelings, but when he was defeated, he had developed a dark side. Failure, remorse, and hatred filled his heart, causing him to disappear like a ghost from his dimension. I don't have all the answers yet, but I have a feeling he may behind all this chaos. Believe me, Ash isn't the only one in danger. His plans may threaten this very world's existence!!!"   
Ash asked, "Satoshi, why was it so interested in taking you from me?"   
"I maintain your life force, Ash. If I were to fall into someone else's hands, your life essence would be transferred to another person. It is important that I alway remain in your possession. Enough talk, I wanna go to bed and you four have to develop a plan to save your existence and the world. Wooof!"   
He ran back into his pokeball. The two stood there, frightened by the images of the one called Red.   
Misty pulled Ash away towards the clinic,"We better talk to the others. All my doubts about you are gone, Ash. If we're going up against someone with power of that magnitude, we're gonna need all the help we can get." 

**CHAPTER 12: INTO THE THIEVES' DEN**

Our heroes left Pallet Town, heading for Cinnabar Island region, and landing on a small neighboring island known as Rock of the Sea Ghost, with memories of recent events flashing back in their minds as they faced a small troupe of Team Rocket members.   
"Ash, you have to do what's right. If you have to leave, I'll be waiting here. I love you!" Ash's mom said crying as they rode off.   
"I'm with you 100%, Ash." Misty said one starry night.   
"Professor Oak's still alive. He was kidnapped and taken to Cinnabar by Team Rocket!!!" Brock said outside the clinic.   
"I don't trust you, Ash, but if Brock's with you, then I'm on your side!" Duplica said privately to Ash.   
"Go Pikachu!!!"   
"Go Starmie!!!"   
"Go Steelix!!!"   
"Go Ditto!!!"   
Brock and Duplica were well aware of how and where Team Rocket operated, and how in their more secluded bases, the security was pretty loose. The Freefaller they interrogated mentioned a base near Cinnabar Island. Now all they had to do was get past a welcoming party. The Rocket leader bellowed, "Hmm, you kids are on the wrong island. Guess we're gonna have to clean youse out o' your pokemon as a penalty." He and his three partners unleashed their pokeballs.   
"Go Electabuzz!"   
"Go Quagsire!!!"   
"Go Scizor!!!"   
"Go Ditto!!!"   
They looked at each others pokemon and at each other.   
"Well this is gonna be challenging. There's no real type advantage or vice versa," Misty groaned.   
"Hmm, that's easy for you to say. My opponent has the same thing I do!" Duplica exclaimed.   
"Just great. After this battle is over, I'm gonna have to buy more steel polish!" Brock murmured.   
"Umm, guys? We're skilled trainers so we shouldn't have a problem, right?!" Ash said, very leaderlike.   
The four said simultaneously, "RIGHT!!!"   
"Pikachu, Pinpoint and Body Slam!"   
"Starmie, Psychic Attack!"   
"Steelix, Iron Tail Attack!"   
"Ditto...uhh...Transform!"   
Pikachu, with nasty precision, body slammed Electabuzz in the breadbasket, while Starmie tore through Quagsire's little brain with Psychic. Steelix horribly dented Scizor's solid exterior with its Iron Tail, but well...Ditto wasn't as efficient in dealing with its own type. Everyone had finished defeating their opponent save for Duplica, who had, for the first time in her history as a Ditto master, been forced to realize the dilemma of facing another Ditto in combat. Misty nudged Ash in his ribs with her shoulder, "This is one's for the books, eh Ash?" He made a silly grin as Duplica and her opponent stood confounded. 

Back in a warehouse in Cerulean, another pair and a talking cat are busy busting up a rival gang in Cerulean, in anticipation of any information regarding the fabled Pokemon Master and local gym legend, Misty.   
"Weezing, Sludge Attack!!!"   
"Misdreavus, Screech!!!"   
Jesse's banshee-like pokemon let loose a high-pitched screech, tearing through the eardrums of the Anglers, a nasty band of sailing ruffians who based their operations in the ancient water town. All the Anglers and their pokemon were on the ground, with drips of blood coming out of some of their ears. Persian-Meowth, eager to interrogate, picks up the head Angler, who has a few connections to the local police.   
"So, you're the one who can best give us some advice. You must know of Team Rocket, right?"   
The Angler, eager to laugh at the talking Persian, made a snide remark, "Geez, Team Rocket must be on da straights if dey're picking on small timers like us. Even more so if dey's starting to hire talking pokemon."   
Persian-Meowth's index claw quickly shot out, digging into the forehead of the Angler.   
"See how that hurts. The less you cooperate, the further it goes into your skull." Meowth groaned.   
"AAHHHH!!! Awright! Awright! Whaddya wanna know?"   
Meowth continued,"We need to be able to bypass the curfew around here, and we just need your I.D's. That and a little information about the Cerulean Gym and the girls who run the place."   
The Angler looks confused, "What's dere to know? Da Waterflower family runs da joint, real hotties dose girls. The head gym leader, Misty's also's a pokemon master. She ain't around, do'"   
"What?" Persian-Meowth exclaims, almost letting go of the Angler, "Where is she then?"   
"Dunno, but she ain't at da gym. One of our boys wanted to challenge her for her badge, but from what he heard from her sisters, she took off wit' some guy. Lucky stiff, whoever he is... Real dish, dat Misty."   
"Well this was unexpected," James said, stealing some of the pokemon they knocked out during their fight with the Anglers, "Our target is gone."   
"Strange. I'd expect a pokemon master to be in more control of her hormones," Jesse sneered, "Now we have to track her down."   
Meowth, ever the perfectionist, continues, "Your helpfulness has expired. Good night."   
SCRATCH!!! SCRATCH!!! 

Brock whispered into Duplica's ear, "Did you ever think of just transforming Ditto into one of our pokemon? It would go a lot faster, I think."   
"Butt out, Brock! This is about principle! Ditto is supposed to use its opponent' attacks against them!"   
"But it only knows Transform."   
"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT???!!!"Duplica yelled at Brock, her breath blowing away Ash and Misty as well, "I got it! Ditto, keep transforming!"   
Ditto kept transforming until all its power points were exhausted. The proud Ditto master yelled, "Ditto! Struggle Attack!" Ditto swiped away at its opponent, knocking it out in just a few blows, "Hah! I heard of the legendary attack of desperation, Struggle." Duplica had almost a maniacal expression on her face, causing her friends to sweatdrop, while their opponents stood shaking in their boots.   
"Guess I'll have to clean up. Go, Bulbasaur! Sleep Powder!" Ash commanded. The Rocket Grunts fell asleep on the rocky grounds at the mercy of our heroes.   
Misty motioned to Duplica, "Now we can use your expertise." 

A dark red sports car, sleek and shiny, barreled down the route leading to Vermilion City. Jesse drove while James was talking on a cellphone. Persian-Meowth was in the back, filing his claws to a razor-edge. James, as dumb as he might be sometimes, fostered many connections in several municipalities, easily able to bribe them with his wealth.   
"Jesse, get this. Remember that little incident we staged in Pallet with the Freefallers?"   
"Of course I do, James. I'm the one who hired those flapping goons."   
"Well, from what my connections in the Viridian Fire Department tell me, when they went to put out the fires, most of them were already squelched. A young girl with powerful water pokemon was mentioned in Pallet's local paper just yesterday. It's being faxed to me by my contact."   
"James, you've actually proven yourself useful for a change."   
A micro-printer installed in the glove compartment chugged out some pages of the Pallet Town Cryer, the local rag of Pallet. On the front page was a small snapshot of Misty with her hand outstretched commanding her pokemon among the blazes.   
"Bingo, I've found her." James said.   
Jesse, jealous of his efficiency, put him down, "Sure but what makes you think she's still there?"   
"She may not be, but you should at least be driving towards there! We're heading to Vermilion."   
Persian-Meowth decided to enter the conversation, "The girl and her deed can wait. Our captive, Professor Oak is waiting for us on Cinnabar Island. There's a chopper waiting for us Vermilion. After we're done convincing Gary and his firm in continuing his research with us using his grandfather, we can easily pounce on Pallet and continue our search for the Misty girl." 

"This Team Rocket suit is itchy. Couldn't we wear something else?" Ash whined.   
"No!!! How do you expect for us to sneak in?" Duplica protested.   
"For once I agree with Ash! I want to kick some butt!" Brock barked.   
"Will you three be quiet? We're already dressed up and close to the base gate, so shut up!" Misty whispered with the most reason.   
After searching for an hour, they finally found the Team Rocket sub-base. It was encrusted near the valley of an active volcano, where a jewel mining facility, also owned by Team Rocket, operated. Several guards surrounded the area, with rifles and pokeballs strapped to their waists. Our heroes nonchalantly walked down the valley, making their way towards the central gate.   
"Hey, you!!! Hold it right, there!!!" a fat, female Rocket grunt yelled.   
"Waaaah!!!" Ash yelped in nervousness.   
"Ash, calm down!" Misty whispered.   
All of them stood nervous as the fat lady walked towards them. She made her way towards a trembling Ash, with Pikachu doing likewise.   
"That's such an adorable Pikachu! Mind if I hold it and pet it?" the fat lady Rocket said, quickly changing from the authoritative voice of a cow to one of a 10-year old little girl.   
"Uhhh....sure?"   
After the grunt had her way with a reluctant Pikachu, she gave him back to Ash and yelled, "Lunch is in 5 minutes for you rookies!!! Get a move on to the mess hall, straight ahead!!!" 

With sighs of relief, they continued past the gate, using the cards they confiscated from their previous opponents to pass the security checkpoint. Once inside they ran inside a large utility closet and discussed their plans. Duplica, the master of stealthy operations, laid out the details.   
"Take these," she said, handing them each a headset to stay in contact with each other, "We have to split in groups of two, one male and one female."   
"Why can't we just stay together?" Misty asked.   
Duplica answered, "We'll have more of a chance to find your Professor Oak if we split up. As for the boy-girl thing, Team Rocket operates that way, for some reason. They pair up a boy and a girl for their teams, usually accompanied by a mascot pokemon. I'll pair up with Ash and his Pikachu."   
A disappointed Misty agreed, "Alright. Me an' Brock will go together. I'll call out Starmie for our mascot pokemon."   
Brock, keeping himself from drooling, continued,"When either of us has found the professor, call on the headset to meet on the fourth floor."   
"Why the 4th floor?" Ash asked.   
"Before we left Pallet, I used my laptop to download some maps I stole from a job Brock and I did a long time ago for another client. Some of what I stole were schematics for a Team Rocket island base. There should be an underground dock full of boats where we can escape on the 4th floor, if I'm not mistaken."   
"And what if you are?" Misty asked.   
"Then we'll just have to resort to Brock's methods for escape."   
"And what's that?" Ash asked with curiosity   
"KICK BUTT!!!" Brock yelled in a whisper.   
Ash and Misty sweatdropped and looked at each other with a glint in their eyes that said something along the lines of, "I see why they make such a great team..." 

Out of nowhere, a voice echoed in the room not belonging to any of them. It sounded familiar to Ash.   
"So now.........time for us to play........."   
"What was that?" Ash asked with a startled glint.   
Everyone looked around, quivering in fear of what they just heard. It echoed and seemed to surround them, as if it didn't have a source.   
"......Time for us to play.......hee...hee..hee...."   
The four heroes definitely heard something. It sounded at the same time, both a young woman and a little girl. It carried a dreadful monotone and childish giggle.   
"Who's out there?" Misty growled, reaching for a pokeball.   
"......Childish fools......why are you here?......You seek the professor........Well now, I am curious......Curious for the boy.........the boy and his Pikachu...........You both seem immune to my mind's powers..........For that you must pay..........................................infidel."   
The room darkened, and in a flash of light, a girl appeared out of thin air. She had a rather deadly beauty, with green hair falling past her waist, wearing a black skirt with circuited laces draping down her legs. On both her arms were cybernetic augments, with a claw-like glove covering her right hand.   
"Breathe your final breath, children....."   
"Sabrina..."Ash said under his breath.   
"I am the guardian of Giovanni's holy ground.....which you have desecrated.....Die.....slowly and painfully...hee...hee" 

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	4. Epic IV

**Claimdisser:** Pokemon I own not. Own characters not. Siam except do own. Breed pokemon I create for this ep. 

**Author's Ramble:** Oooh! I got sleep, and had a few dirty dreams to boot!!! Calling all AAMLovers and JAJLovers, there's some romance or hints of it in store for your arses, and not to forget you action lovers out there, there's lots of fighting and wild chases in store wit, and...just in case you're into both romance and action, I have for you the introduction of the ultimate couple pokemon battle of all time, with a mean cliffhanger to follow!!! If this were a game, you'd be pissin' in your jock strap and praying to your dead football coach trying to defeat the mighty Team Rocket!!! Wait...that was kinda twisted. Anyways, there's lots of surprises and thrills in store, as The Master of Ages saga continues!!! 

**CHAPTER 13: PHANTOM OF SAFFRON**

The four heroes braced themselves against the darkness. The levitating girl held her silvery cybernetic arms in a dainty pose. Brock and Duplica heard of recent technological advances in Team Rocket research, but nothing could've prepared them for what they were seeing. Years ago, Misty heard of the removal of Sabrina from the Saffron Gym by the Pokemon League for illicit and unsanctioned psychic experimentation, but little did she know she'd eventually be hired by Team Rocket as a living database and prized assassin. Ash recognized her somewhat, though her voice gave her away. He stepped forward rather bravely and spoke to her.   
"Sabrina. So this is how you turned out in this world. I never broke you out of your spell with Haunter, so you never regained the heart you lost as a little girl..."   
She closed her eyes, and bowed her head, reopening them with a cold stare, "How dare you speak to me as if I were human! I am more machine than girl, and just as unloving and frigid. You do not belong here. You must die and feed the pokemon of this island with your flesh!!!"   
Two pokeballs morphed from her clawlike, silvery right hand, "Go Alakazam!!! Go Xatu!!!"   
With fire in his soul, Ash rallied his fearful, hesitant friends, "Come on, guys! We can't quit now! We're gonna have to tag-team! Call out your pokemon! Pikachu, I choose you!"   
Brock shook off his fear, "Steelix is too big...Go, Magmar!!!"   
Misty, encouraged by Ash, growled like a soldier, "Misty calls Starmie!!!"   
Duplica, eager for action, roared, "Go, Jigglypuff!!!" 

Sabrina looked on rather blankly and shapeshifted into a little metal girl with a ball, "Playtime...tee hee... Alakazam, Hyper Beam!!! Xatu, Drill Peck!!!   
Breaking from their original pairing, Ash and Misty quickly teamed up with their pokemon, facing off against Alakazam, while Brock and Duplica banded together and faced off against Xatu.   
"Pikachu, Reflect!!!"   
"Starmie, Light Screen!!! Defend yourself!!!"   
Alakazam shot a fierce Hyper Beam. It rammed hard into Starmie's Light Screen, destroying it with ease, but running into Pikachu's Reflect. It continued pressing on, ultimately cracking it and coming through. Pikachu and Starmie quickly dodged the attack, with the beam heading towards Ash.   
"Waaah!!!"   
"Ash, look out!!!" Misty yelled. He barely dodged the Hyper Beam, but was grazed rather nastily, receiving a thick burn across his arm from the friction. Ash cringed from the pain, but remained focused on the fight, while Misty ran to aid him.   
"Don't worry about me. Keep your eye on your opponent, Mist."   
"Right!" 

Xatu spun its body towards its enemy in its Drill Peck assault. Magmar readied itself by making an air lens, while Jigglypuff stood next to Magmar using its defense curl. The psychic bird tore into Magmar with its long razor-sharp beak. The air lens broke, giving Magmar a nasty cut on the side of its gut, making it flinch. Duplica, knowing Brock usually defended when they battled together, took the offensive.   
"Jigglypuff, Rollout Attack!!!"   
The familiar-looking Jigglypuff spuns its body in the air, ramming full strength into Xatu's body, hitting its neck and knocking the wind out of it. Xatu crashed into the ground, but surprisingly, it quickly recovered and got back up for more. Both Duplica and Jigglypuff unleashed sweatdrops as Sabrina's Xatu stood up unfazed.   
"Brock!!! Her Xatu withstood Jigglypuff's Rollout!!! It's immune to its weaknesses somehow!"   
A wary Brock stared at what he saw, "These aren't your average pokemon. Knowing Team Rocket, they may either be cybernetically or genetically enhanced."   
Sabrina, in the form of the metallic little girl, giggled, "Oh, no Mr. Brock!!! My pokemon are naturally trained. I've only tweaked their minds and bodies a bit with my brain waves. You're no fun...Tee hee!!!" The cyberpsychic unleashed her psychic powers, causing headaches on both our heroes and their pokemon. All except Ash, who held Misty while she twitched in pain. Pikachu was also unaffected, trying to bring the other pokemon back to their senses.   
"ASH!!! HELP ME!!! MY HEAD!!!" Misty yelled.   
"AAARRGGHH!!! DO SOMETHING, ASH!!!" Brock shouted. 

Ash held Misty and looked at the metallic little girl illusion of Sabrina. He thought for a moment, remembering back to when he fought Sabrina back in Saffron Gym back in his world. Haunter was the one who broke her out of her spell, but it wasn't around to help. Think Ash, think. He needed to somehow snap Sabrina out of her spell. Pikachu stepped back little by little, as Xatu and Alakazam advanced threateningly towards it. Finally, it came to Ash. Sabrina mentioned earlier that Ash and Pikachu were immune to her mind, and Ash remembered back in his world, Sabrina shared a psychic link with her pokemon, one that could be easily broken if...   
"Pikachu!!! Shoot your Zap Cannon between Xatu and Alakazam!!!"   
"KAAAAAAAACCCHHHHHUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!" Its Zap Cannon whistled past Xatu and Alakazam, catching Sabrina off guard as the super-concentrated shot of electricity tore through the illusion she made and electrocuted her, damaging some of her circuitry.   
"GRRAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" she yelled as she fell to the ground, slamming into some detergents. Her pokemon did likewise, as they dropped to the ground feeling the pain of their master. The room returned to normal, and Ash's friends and their pokemon lost the headaches Sabrina had inflicted on them. Ash walked up to Sabrina triumphantly, while his companions slowly got up and followed.   
Sabrina gasped, "I...am defeated. I am at your mercy....." Her circuitry had been short-circuited and kept sparking up as Ash held his hand out.   
"Then...help me out."   
"Wh...Wh...Why? Why do you not destroy me?" Sabrina stuttered.   
"Why should I? I have nothing against you, and I'm not the kind that would destroy anyone."   
"You...you are not of...this world. I can't probe your mind. Where do you come from?"   
"I'm from the past, trying to protect my existence. And I need all the help I can get."   
"I...can see in the minds of your friends, and from what I see, your intentions are noble and true."   
Sabrina got up from the mess, grabbing onto Ash's hand. His friends stood behind him, cautious and protective of their friend. She reached out with her left hand, and pulled out a small circuited card. 

"You want to return to your own time. I am the living database of this research facility, and I know of what you seek. The only Team Rocket lab I know of that is doing that kind of research is located beyond the Indigo Plateau, in Mt. Silver. Yes. You need the professor to gain access to that lab. He is being held on the far corner of the 2nd floor, in the classified research division. This card will give you clearance." Ash quickly pocketed the card and thanked Sabrina. He started to turn around to others, but Sabrina quickly added a disconcerting comment.   
"Ash...be forewarned. The elite Team Rocket executives who ordered his kidnapping are headed over here soon. I suggest you quickly free the professor and leave this island, or you may have to face them in combat."   
"Team Rocket executives?"Ash questioned.   
Sabrina spoke their names slowly, almost fearful, "Jesse...James...and Persian"   
"WAAAHHHH!!!"   
Misty whispered to Ash, "Wait, weren't those the three Rockets you fought in your timeline, Ash?"   
"Yeah, but we always beat 'em though! We shouldn't have much to worry about."   
Sabrina turned away, "Don't underestimate them, friend. Even one of them is 10 times more powerful than I. Till we meet again, hero..." With those words, she phased into thin air and vanished.   
Duplica nodded in agreement, "I agree with this...Sabrina. We gotta nab the professor and split. I heard rumors about those three Rocket execs. They've funded a lot of private experiments with pokegenics and I don't want to stick around to see what comes out of their pokeballs."   
Brock prodded them on, "Let's go, and the teams have changed. It's best if Ash goes with Misty and I go with Duplica. It seems you two work well together, and that'd be best. Right?"   
Ash and Misty looked at each other with a friendly glare.   
"Uh...right..."   
"Yeah..." 

James looked on towards the horizon. They had just flown past Fuschia City, with Jessiebelle Meadows looming in the background. He loathed the sight of it. The breeze of the wind gave him a prophetic chill that ran up his spine, much like the thought of Jessiebelle would. He turned towards Jesse, who was looking in the opposite direction, looking down at the beach they just passed. She remembered the first time she met James in Pokemon Tech. The night before they had taken their infamous exams, she invited him to the pool for a drink. They had just come back from a party, and, though she would never admit it to him ever, she was rather smitten by James at the time. Just an excuse to see him in swimming trunks. She cracked a faint smile at the memory.   
"Jess, what's so amusing?"   
"Huh? What do you mean, James?"   
"It's a rarity to see you smile. Like a rare flower that blooms once a year."   
"Normally, I would be flattered by such a compliment, but for now, mind your business."   
Persian-Meowth had fallen asleep in between them. It was having a rather disturbing dream, one that had recurred to him several times before. It was fighting a strange shadow on a grassy plain, with dark clouds looming on the horizon. It pranced into a fighting pose, readying itself to strike at his opponent with its Slash attack. In a blinding flash, they lunged at each other with claws outstretched. SSSLLAAASSSHHH!!!!!! The two turned a calculating eye back towards each other. Little by little, Persian-Meowth fell to the ground, with blood flowing out of the side of its chest. The strange shadow came closer, until it came in full view of Persian-Meowth's eyes. It looked like a Persian, but had heavier claws, hands and feet, and spoke with the intellect of a scientist.   
"Do you not realize your destiny, Meowth?"   
Persian-Meowth pulled itself away, "Grrrr...begone from me!"   
"Look upon yourself. You are the first and only of your kind to walk and speak like a human."   
"I'm...still a...weak pokemon. Nothing more...but...a freak"   
"HAH!!! You still fawn over that Meowth girl. The one who called you a freak...Well, she missed out. Missed out on contributing to the gene pool of a new species."   
"What do you mean?"   
"You still don't get it. Look at yourself. You were poised and chosen for a new evolution. You will become...me. I am...Siam!!!" 

He awoke startled, "HUH?!"   
"Meowth, are you all right?" James asked.   
Jesse, with an evil grin, said, "I didn't want to wake you, but you slashed open the upholstery."   
"Nothing a little money won't cure," Persian-Meowth growled, "Have we reached our Cinnabar base yet?"   
"We'll be there in a few more hours, Meowth. Go back to sleep." Jesse whispered.   
James looked on towards the afternoon sun. It had a strange glow, reminding him of the days they spent in the old Meowth balloon traveling across the continent, stealing rare pokemon for their boss. A small tear formed in his eye, for he realized at that very moment, he had lost the friends he cherished so long ago. The two who sat next to him had become vicious shells of their former selves. Money...power...the high life. It was those things that compelled him to run away from his parents and Jessiebelle in the first place. Ironically, his only two best friends in the world had come to personify the very things that he ran away from. He turned to look at Persian, who had fallen back to sleep, and finally to Jesse, still looking toward the ocean with a solemn face. 

"Security check is complete. You may enter."   
The door approved of their card and they had entered. Ash walked ahead with Pikachu with Brock alongside him, while Misty followed Duplica, who ran to a nearby server. Duplica plugged in her laptop on the server and tapped in some coding.   
"What're you doing, Duplica?"Misty asked.   
"I'm uploading and activating a small stealth program I created for these kinds of missions. I call it DejaVu. It loops the last 24 hours of footage on the all the security cameras. That way, they won't see us sneak in or out. That and it erases itself from the hard drive when it's done so it can't be detected."   
"Cool!"   
Ash and Brock were greeted by two guards, who were securing Professor Oak.   
"Hey, we weren't expecting more guards here. Where's your authorization?"   
"Uhh...."   
Before Ash could answer, Brock quickly punched one guard and kicked the other guard square in the gut. With the guard kneeling down, Brock gave him a hard elbow on the back, knocking him out rather quickly.   
"There're times when you just can't resort to a lengthy pokemon battle. Quick, Ash, take their hats and their guns! We're gonna need 'em if we're gonna escape."   
Ash quickly grabbed their guns and their weapons, and ran to Professor Oak, a little startled by what's going on. He ran to untie Professor Oak, who was very glad to have seen he was being rescued.   
"Oh, this is great. Gary must have sent you, right!"   
"G..GARY!!! No, Professor Oak! My name's Ash. We came here to save you!"   
"But...why?"   
"We'll talk later, but first we have to escape this island." 

**CHAPTER 14: TAKING OUT THE TRASH**

"The research department sent us to escort this dangerous waste out personally. The lab geeks said we should dump in a rather concealed spot."   
"Good. The sea's up ahead. Take one of the speedboats and report back pronto, hot stuff..."   
With those words, the rocket grunt handed Misty the key to speedboat no. 18. and gave her a lusty wink. Misty, resisting the urge to beat the snot out of him, sweatdropped, giggled insincerely, and joined her friends who were pushing the rather large recycle bin, stashed with a certain professor, down to their speedboat. Running to meet up with them, she accidentally dropped the ID card she stole from one of the rocket grunts earlier. The infatuated rocket grunt, after staring at Misty's alluring butt for several seconds, noticed she dropped something. He ran up to the card and picked it up.   
"Uhh, miss. You dropped your..."   
He looked at the card and noticed his newfound object of desire's face didn't exactly match the picture on the card. Misty turned around and quickly realized what a major goof she just made.   
"INTRUDERS!!! SOUND THE ALARM!!!"   
Her friends turned around.   
"Man, she blew our cover!" Duplica groaned, smacking her head in disappointment.   
"CHA!!!(MISTY!!!)"   
"MISTY, COME ON!!!" Ash yelled, getting off the boat and running towards Misty.   
She gasped quickly and ran down the long dock. Ash stopped for a moment and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her even faster towards the boat. Once reaching the boat, he let go of Misty and got in, though there was a big problem.   
Brock yelled, "We're not gonna be able to get out! They haven't opened the gate leading outside!"   
"And they're not going to, now! The controls are too far off..."Duplica added.   
Ash, with the courage that only desperation can bring, called to Pikachu, " Come on, Peek! We're gonna have to do this!!!" They jumped out of the boat, running out towards an oncoming mob of armed Rocket grunts.   
"No, Ash!!! You'll get killed!!!" Misty yelled as she reached out for him too late.   
Ash held Pikachu under one of his arms and commanded, "Pikachu, use your Reflect!!!" With those words, Pikachu unleashed a powerful barrier. The grunts fired at Ash, but were soon met by some of their bullets ricocheting back towards them.   
"AAAHHH!!! Hold your fire!!!"   
Ash ran into the small gatehouse, and taking a cue from Brock, punched out the unarmed attendant. With his hand stinging from the impact, Ash activated the controls for the gate, allowing for their escape.   
Duplica stood amazed, "He did it?! He activated the controls!!!"   
Brock yelled, "ASH, JAM THE CONTROLS SOMEHOW SO THEY CAN'T CLOSE IT AGAIN!!!"   
Misty stood there, speechless, with a sense of guilt looming over her head. 

The young hero heard the movement of footsteps coming in his direction. The gate had opened enough for them to leave, so Ash quickly placed Pikachu next to the controls and commanded, "Pikachu! Thundershock the controls!!!" With a swift jolt of electricity, the little mouse fried the circuitry, freezing the gate in place. Ash quickly grabbed Pikachu and jumped out of the gatehouse. They made their way to the boat and jumped in, with Brock already having started up the engine in anticipation of his return.   
"WING THAT MOTHER, BROCK!!!" Duplica yelled in enthusiasm, impressed by Ash's exploits.   
"You're alive..."Misty said, hugging Ash with a light smile, "I'm sorry...it's...it's all my fault..."   
Ash, still a little aggressive from his recent brush with death sternly said to her, "Come on, Misty! Don't get soft on me now! We're not out of the woods yet!" He noticed several of the rocket grunts had already boarded some of the other speedboats and were making chase.   
The four heroes raced out of the inlet, breezing past the gate. An excited Professor Oak jumped out of the bin, wondering what the commotion was all about, "Wow, I've only seen this stuff on TV!!!" Oak grinned. Ash quickly called to the professor and told him to stay down, for the grunts were firing in their direction as they sped towards them, and he couldn't risk having a dead professor.   
Duplica called to Ash, "Ash, now that we're in the cave, we only have one chance to prevent them from chasing us out into the ocean! You're gonna have to cause a cave-in somehow!"   
As everyone crouched down while enemy fire rained down in their direction, Ash quickly called Pikachu to him and said, "Pikachu, you're gonna have to use up all your power with Zap Cannon. Aim at the ceiling as we go. When I squeeze you a little, use your Zap Cannon. Got it?"   
"PIKA!!!(YOU GOT IT!!!)" Ash, somewhat protected from Pikachu's electricity by the Team Rocket gloves, aimed Pikachu's face at the cave ceiling swiftly and squeezed.   
"KACHU!!!"   
FWABOOOMMM!!!   
Well-size boulders fell down, shaking up some of the speedboats that followed, some falling directly on top of and destroying some speedboats, while others rammed into the cave walls trying to avoid a boulder.   
"KACHU!!!"   
BBBOOOOMMM!!!!SPLASH!!!   
"KACHU!!!"   
FRAK-BBBAAAMMM!!!!DRIP!!!SPLOSH!!! 

Pikachu had tired out, but all seemed well. No one was on their trail.   
Ash breathed a sigh of relief, "Looks like the coast is clear. Whew..."   
"No!!! LOOK!!!" Misty yelled. In the distance, a huge hovercraft barreled down fast, quickly gaining speed, with really nasty looking heavy artillery popping out of every corner. Professor Oak peeked out of the recycle bin, with a big sweatdrop coming off his forehead, "We're doomed." Pikachu sighed, completely out of juice, unable to shoot any more Zap Cannons.   
Ash muttered, "Pikachu's tired. I can't do anymore."   
Out of nowhere, Misty came in front of Ash, "I owe you for screwing up and putting you in danger, Ash. I'll take it from here. Go, Dragonite!!!"   
Dragonite came out and hovered above their speedboat, following it as it skated across the dark waters. Before Misty could react, the looming hovercraft fired several shells at their boat, with one headed straight at them.   
"MISTY!!! LOOK OUT!!!" Ash yelled.   
"AAAHHHHH!!!!!" she shouted.   
He quickly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her away from the direction of the oncoming mortar shell. It exploded on the back end of their speedboat, shattering the engine into pieces. Brock fumbled at the wheel, almost losing control of the boat, but with Duplica's help managed to keep control of the crippled vessel. Fortunately, the boat's inertia kept it speeding forward, closing in on the cave's exit, but unfortunately they were starting to slow, with the behemoth hovercraft reloading it fearsome guns. Misty had fallen on top of Ash, blushing with guilt as she quickly got up and commanded her Dragonite, just as they were reaching the end of the cave.   
"It's my turn to save you, Ash...,"she thought to herself before she yelled, "Dragonite, Hyper Beam across the top of the cave!!!" With those words, Dragonite ripped a mean Hyper Beam to the ceiling of the the cave, tearing down and crumbling the passage leading outside. The broken speedboat barely rushed out of the cascade of stones and boulders, which had rained down, destroying the hovercraft, and caving in the inlet behind them, preventing any more Team Rocket grunts from following.   
"Alright!!! We made it!!!" Brock shouted in triumph.   
Duplica exclaimed alongside her partner,"Cool!!! That was an awesome mission!"   
Professor Oak stuck his head out of the bin, "Ooh...I'm alive, thanks to you!"   
"PIKA!!! PIKA!!! (WOO-HOO!!! WOO-HOO!!!)"   
A dizzy Ash, on the ground, shook his head, still recovering from the impact he received from being sandwiched between the hard floor of the boat and a falling Misty. He winced in discomfort until a hand quickly came in front, accompanied by the rather melancholy face of Misty.   
"Ash...I'm sorry. I'm...it's my fault you were in danger...I"   
He took her hand, "No...it's...it's okay. We're friends, right? We looked out for each other, right?"   
Misty made a sweet smile and nodded, "Right."   
An overexcited and concerned Professor Oak interrupted their burgeoning moment, "If you two don't mind, the boat's wrecked and we need to get as far away from the island as possible. It won't take long before they start looking for us.."   
"Oak's right,"Duplica added, "How are we gonna ride outta here without a ride?"   
"Easy," Misty said as she recalled Dragonite and fumbled for another pokeball, "Go, Grumpback!!!"   
The massive whale materialized onto the water, with its back ready for transport. Everyone climbed on Grumpback's back, settling onto a hump and readying themselves for the ride.   
"Where are we headed?" Misty asked.   
Oak quickly interjected, "I recommend Porta Vista. My summer home and backup lab are there, and its very concealed from the likes of Team Rocket. Whatever you do, don't head back to Pallet, since they might expect me to return there."   
"Alright then. Grumpback, set sail for Porta Vista!!!"Misty commanded.   
"GRUMP!!!" the massive whale huffed as it paced speedily towards its destination, while our heroes rested on their backs, completely exhausted, yet with the gentle, pleasant pain that comes with a job well done. The sun was beginning to set, shining upon them as they went and pondered the events and emotions of the day. 

"I'm sorry I had to delay our meeting, Mr. Oak. May I call you...Gary?"   
"Yes, Mr. Giovanni."   
"Thank you. As you can see, this...little boy and his Pikachu have caused me much harm. In the past, he foiled several of my agents schemes. I've always wondered how my organization would've fared without his existence, and...heh, as I can see, not only has my organization flourished, even my most incompetent agents have turned into fearsome players in the international crime circle."   
"Pardon me for interrupting, Mr. Giovanni, but you said you had a proposal for me."   
"Hmm...I like you, Gary. Blunt and straight to the point. I want to make a proposition. This...time-travel machine can become power itself. I've funded your sister's brilliant research for the past 3 years, and I wanted to know if you would be interested in becoming a member within our organization. We'd love to fully utilize the machine's abilities for our purposes."   
"Tempting...but what purposes do you mean?"   
"Oh...just a hostile takeover...a global takeover, if you get my drift..."   
The 18-year Gary may have been conceited, never having learned the humility he would've learned if Ash had existed in his life, still had a glimmer of a decent conscience and told Giovanni, "I'm sorry...I can't give you an answer right now. We should make another meeting to discuss this in greater detail. Until then, I have to respectfully decline..."   
Giovanni, in the back of his mind, said to himself, "Afraid to wield the world in your hand, boy? Well, my best executives should have the very incentive you need to make up your mind."   
"Very well, then. Another meeting then." Giovanni said with a sinister grin. 

BANG!!! SCRATCH!!!   
The base was filled with silence. The three had arrived on the island. Merciless. Unrelenting. In a whimper of words, the supervisor of the base told Jesse, James, and Persian-Meowth of what had transpired. Having the mindset of gods, they called everyone to the mineral valley, with the supervisors lined up in a separate row in full view of their minions. James stood aside as Jesse made her quick speech to the masses of underlings. They paid no mind to their superiors, until Persian-Meowth unleashed the full fury of his might on all the supervisors, beating and scratching many of them close to death, though James was quick to have them brought to the medical facility and transferred to another TR base. "Sentimental fool," Jesse and Meowth thought to themselves.   
After their "pep talk" occurred, they personally dragged the security supervisor to the surveillance room. They had the bloodied manager forward and rewind the surveillance, until Jesse spotted some peculiar occurrence near the end of the tape. She saw four rather peculiar rookies gaining access to the research division of the base, with one plugging up one of the servers and hacking into the database. Persian-Meowth violently pushed the supervisor aside and, with an expedient flick of its claws, rewound and froze a part of the tape. All four of the intruders were in full view, as Jesse glared at them with the darkest of glares.   
James stared in disbelief, "That girl's face...it seems so familiar."   
Jesse whispered evilly, "Misty Waterflower...the Indigo Champ...Why would she come here and do something so damaging to her reputation as a pokemon master, breaking into a private facility?"   
"It seems our target decided to strike at us first..."Persian-Meowth purred, "...not a good, sensible, or anticipated move. But...whatever compelled her to do what she just did to us deserves our vengeance. Agree?"   
"Yes, Meowth. James, do gather the radar records and try to estimate the direction in which they headed after they escaped."   
James did as he was told, but felt uncomfortable as he gathered the records. With every file he gathered off the database, he remembered how he cheered Misty on at the last League Championship. He heard of the old Cerulean Gym, of the three sisters who had raised her, perhaps with a steely hand, but a loving one nonetheless. But for a Rocket exec, a conscience was supposed to be a handicap. Yet as the years went by, it haunted him like no other, eclipsing his yearn for wealth and power. Sooner or later, he would have to choose between his heart or his job, and the day was drawing closer by the second.   
"James!!! What're you waiting, for!!! Get on!!!"   
With that, he got on the chopper and tapped into his laptop, and within a few minutes, he figured out where they headed with the radar record coordinates.   
"Porta Vista," he let out, as the pilot swung the helicopter into the sunset. 

**CHAPTER 15: LEAVING SO SOON...**

"That's a rather interesting and intriguing story, Ash. Imagine this world being the result of you not ever going on your journey," Professor Oak said with wide eyes.   
The four heroes and the professor had made their way to his summer home in Porta Vista. It stood atop a high ledge overlooking the ocean. Underneath the bungalow, his lab was a veritable Area 51, having several levels and hidden areas. They had stowed away in the far corner of the 3rd level, in a cozy den, where Ash had recounted his story his to Professor Oak, who had listened with great interest and great dread. It was a private conversation, for his friends had taken off for a stroll on the grounds. Brock fell asleep in one of the guest rooms, while Duplica and Misty reclined against the edge of the bungalow, overlooking the majestic view of the the dark blue ocean, with the moon looming on the horizon, adding its haunting shine on the ocean. Duplica, eager to talk to another female, started up a conversation.   
"Asides from you blowing our cover, that was a great mission, and I have to say I was impressed by that Dragonite of yours..."   
"Umm...thanks."   
Duplica paused for a moment, wondering what to say next, "I guess Ash'll be leaving soon, then, since we know the location of the time machine."   
"Yeah..." Misty said as she stared deep into the moon.   
"Misty...do you...like Ash?" Duplica said, completely forsaking her flair for subtlety.   
The 18-year old water pokemon master blushed and looked downward pausing for a long time until she answered, "It's been difficult to hide, even harder to accept..."   
"Well...look on the bright side. He'll be reunited with a younger you in his timeline. Right?"   
"Yeah, but...you don't understand."   
"Understand what?"   
"How will I turn out when he comes back into my life? Will I still be the same, better, or worse? I followed him for reasons in his timeline that have never been made clear to me. He never told me why we were together, or why we stuck together for so long. Friendship could never be that strong, could it? Did he...like me?"   
Duplica was stunned by Misty, having shared similar doubts about Ash, "Believe it or not...I know how you feel. When I touched Ash's mind in the flame that his Watchdawg made, I didn't see much, only me restoring the Imite House, with Ditto completely able to transform perfectly. You guys helped me out, but..."   
Misty listened on with heightened interest, "But what, Duplica?"   
"But...Brock left me...in his timeline," she said in a rather sad, low tone.   
"You...you like Brock?!" Misty said with a tinge of shock.   
"You act surprised, Misty. It seems we both have the same problem. We have great guys who're our best friends, yet they're too stupid to see how much they're loved by the girl sitting right next to them."   
Misty let out a sad whimper, "Hmm...yeah. It's weird. I've only known Ash for five days, yet I feel like I've known him my whole life. I can't stand the thought of him leaving me to go back to his time, even if he is going back to a younger me."   
"You...don't wanna lose him, do you?" Duplica said rather solemnly.   
"I...can't do anything about it," Misty said, holding back tears while running away from the edge of the bungalow.   
Duplica, a little upset at Misty's sensitivity, "Come on! You can't give up just like that? Follow your heart, Misty, just like me. I'm gonna try my best to keep Brock in my life no matter what! And you should do the same with Ash! Tell him how you feel. You can be subtle, and if that doesn't work, smack him over the head with your mallet until he gets it!"   
Misty spun around to look at her and made a determined face and a peace sign, "Hmm...Ash Ketchum!!! Prepare to be infatuated by the awesome sex might of Misty Waterflower, pokemon master and soon to be master of your heart!!!"   
Duplica made a major sweatdrop and lifted her eyebrows as she thought to herself, "Gee, she's got spirit..." 

Professor Oak, Ash and Pikachu made their way out towards the elevator, planning their next move. Samuel Oak was the quickest to believe Ash's story, since he was privy to the research his granddaughter conducted and understood the situation better than anybody could.   
"I can call my grandson Gary to give you clearance to his lab, though we're gonna have to persuade May to destroy all her research with space-time displacement."   
"May? May Pine?"   
"Hmm, you know May, Ash?"   
"Yeah, I used to play with her when I was a little kid, but...she's your granddaughter? Then that means..."   
"She's Gary's older sister. I haven't heard her called May Pine in a long time. That's her mom's name."   
Ash had a small piece of the puzzle of his life and fitted in a corner of his mind. Still fresh from the shock of hearing May was related to Gary, he wandered out of Oak's home, with Oak escorting him out, giving him a key, "I'll make the calls tonight. In the meantime, you are free to stay here in any of the guest quarters. Relax and go into town. Porta Vista is hosting the Moon Spirit festival tonight, and its ideal for fun. Good night, Ash, and don't brood too much about your situation. You're too young for that." With those words, Ash and Pikachu strolled out for a while, with no real aim to their wandering, finally setting on the steps of one of the bungalows. He sat down and bowed his head, and against Oak's advice, brooded like crazy.   
"Chu...(Oh boy...)"   
He brooded for what seemed like an hour, until someone called out to him.   
"Hmm...there you are! I've been looking for you everywhere."   
"Huh?" Ash said as he turned around, and almost fell back at what he was seeing. A girl was wearing a beautiful low-cut white dress adorned with various water motifs, with the frills reaching about mid-thigh, revealing white lace caressing her long, shapely legs down to her white high heels. Her arms were covered with web-like sleeves, riding past the elbow. She wore a sparkling blue necklace with a sapphire drop at the very tip. Her face was alluringly painted, with deep red lipstick covering her lips outlined with a dark purple. She painted her eyelids with a passionate shade of baby blue, and her blush was perfectly blended into her soft cheeks. But something was missing. The girl had done away with the chocolate hue which she had painted her hair, and instead, her flamey orange, natural hair cascaded from her beautiful head.   
"Mmm....mmm...M.M.M...M.M.M.M...Misty????!!!!!"   
In an instant, Ash was reminded of the wanton beauty of her sisters, but how little it compared to what stood before him. He at once wasn't able to recognize her, but upon recognizing her, was filled with contagious awe and a strange warmth. His heart skipped and pounded like crazy, but Ash, ever the king of blunders, falls and lands on his back.   
"PIKA!!!"   
Misty runs and kneels next to Ash, "Are you okay?"   
Ash nodded his and sat upright, "Uhh, yeah...Why are you dressed like that, Mist?"   
"Oh...umm. I wanted to go to the festival, but I'm having second thoughts. I wanted to go with someone, but I can't find anyone...", Misty said, attempting to make it obvious.   
"Uhh...good luck finding someone...uhh"   
"CHA!!!" Pikachu smacked his forehead, for it was rather obvious, even to Pikachu what was going on.   
"He can't be this dense..."Misty thought to herself, trying to stem her anger somewhat successfully, "Hmph...you know Ash. I do owe you a date, remember? You beat me fair and square during our match back at my gym. It's not like me not to fulfill a promise..."   
"Uhh...but you never gave me that Ocean Badge you promised me..."   
Like Mt. Saint Helens, she erupted, "YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT THE BADGE!!!"   
"WAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"   
Regaining her composure, she reached into her purse, and pulled out a small crest shaped like an ocean wave, embedded with a small heart in the center, "Here, Ash. Your badge."   
"Oh...thanks Misty!"   
"Finally, positive feedback. A smile...and a blush I see," Misty thought to herself, seeing she finally was making some headway, quickly picking up a strategy, "The way to a man' heart is usually through the stomach, but Ash seems to be really into pokemon or anything closely related. This is perfect! I'm a pokemon master and he's a pokemon trainer. I'll have to beat him at his own game. Then I'll win his heart and maybe... the truth."   
"Now then, I'll guess you'll have to go on that date with me. You agreed to it when we battled, right?"   
"Right...?!" Ash said, lightly blushing.   
With the speed of a Dodrio, she pulled Ash up from the ground by the arm and threw him into her jeep. Pikachu tagged along while she kept telling him about the festival, "I heard they're hosting free pokemon battles at the festival. If you don't mind, I'd like a rematch with you, Ash!"   
Never backing away from a challenge, Ash clenches his fist and says,"Hmm...you're on, Misty! Let's go!" 

Duplica strolled over to Brock's room, where he was deep in slumberland. She sat next to him on the bed, looking upon his face. In her mind came back the memory of how they first met. Her Ditto was never able to completely transform, and with that problem, Duplica couldn't reopen the Imite House as she had planned. The money she had saved up from previous shows quickly evaporated, paying property taxes and utility bills. The Imite House property was eventually taken as collateral in the province for unpaid taxes, and demolished, having a Mc Donalds built in its place.   
She wandered towards Celadon, hoping to find a new life, maybe selling perfumes for the famous Erika. It was by absolute chance she ran into Brock. It was one rainy, drizzly day in the middle of a grove off the side of one of the routes leading to Celadon.   
"Ditto...don't worry. We'll make it to Celadon tomorrow, but...just try to stay calm" Duplica said, trying to comfort her Ditto, who hadn't eaten for days. Their food supply ran out, and they hadn't run into another city or town for days. Duplica sat Ditto on a stump and went to forage for whatever food she could find in the woods. Running towards the other side of the road, she slipped in the mud, busting up a knee and slamming hard on her palm. She started to cry heavily, more out of her desperate situation than for any pain she may have felt.   
"Umm...please, can I help you? There's no need to cry."   
She looked up to see a boy, slightly older than her, wearing a rain jacket and carrying lots of supplies. He helped her up, taking her into his strong arms and carrying her to a secluded inn that was closeby, since she couldn't stand. Brock talked to her, and they exchanged the stories of their lives, of how he sold his old gym to Team Rocket, and how she had lost the Imite House. He kept her company all night, with the greatest concern on his face, fed her, and even rented her a separate room, instead of letting her sleep in the lobby.   
"You tried to leave me, Brock, but I didn't let you, did I?"Duplica thought to herself as she looked at his chest heave up and down as he slept, "And I joined you in your career, the one you didn't want to take up, but had no choice since you had to send money back to your family. Whatever love I have for you I don't want to let go, and if Ash is as kind-hearted and compassionate as I think he is, he's gonna help me."   
With those thoughts, Duplica ran to one of the desks and began writing a letter. But little did the guests of Oak's home know that some uninvited guests were inside the home as well... 

Pikachu stood on the sidelines as its two most favorite trainers in the world faced off.   
"Misty calls Starmie!!!"   
"Bulbasaur, I choose you!!!"   
With fire in their hearts, the two young trainers commanded their pokemon with authority. They battled on a makeshift wooden platform, with beautiful Japanese lanterns adorning the edge in various colors, and several spectators looking on as they partied in the festival. Festive music played in the background, adding to the tension.   
"Starmie, Swift Attack!!!"   
"Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!!!"   
Both their pokemon unleashed their attacks simultaneously, and managed to dodge them easily, but Starmie's Swift Attack, which is never supposed to miss, quickly turned back and smacked hard into Bulbasaur's back like a heat-seeking missile, sending it flying in front of Starmie.   
"Finish it off with Psychic!!!"   
Starmie unleashed Psychic, tearing deep into Bulbasaur, since it was also a poison type, and readily susceptible to psychic attacks.   
The ringside annnouncer announced, "Bulbasaur is down. Starmie is the victor!"   
"Grrrr..."Ash growled as he recalled Bulbasaur and reached for another pokeball, "Go, Squirtle!!!"   
"Aah...you wish to go toe-to-toe with a water master, eh Ash?" Misty teased.   
"You think you're hot stuff, huh Misty?" Ash smiled, "Time to cool you down! Squirtle, Hydro Pump!"   
"I'm hotter than you think! Starmie, Light Screen!!!"   
Starmie quickly formed a barrier, shielding it from Squirtle Hydro Pump. The tiny turtle rammed full force into Starmie, but fell back from the impact, disorienting it.   
"Starmie, Double Edge!!! Full Strength!!!" The powerful starfish spun hard into Squirtle's soft underbelly, sending it flying in front of Ash's feet. He quickly recalled his Squirtle, and thanked it for a good job.   
"Well, I guess it's time to pull out the big guns. It should be able to withstand a little squirt like Starmie...Go, Charizard!!!"   
"GROAR!!!"   
"Not too smart, Ash. You were much more formidable when you beat me last time. Starmie, Swift!!!   
"Grrrr, Charizard, Fly up!!!"   
The massive Charizard flew up, but Starmie's Swift attack once again met its target, not knocking it out of the sky but disorienting it enough for Misty to follow up with her last attack.   
"Starmie, Bubblebeam!!! Give it all ya got!!!"   
With those words, Charizard was bombarded by the highly explosive bubbles from bubblebeam. It crashed down on the ground hard, attempting to get up, but quickly falling down in exhaustion. Ash withdrew Charizard and praised it, yet bowed his head in defeat, but smiled a little, for deep in his heart, he'd prefer to lose to Misty than anyone else. The announcer yelled,"And Misty Waterflower, this year's League Champ, wins the match!!!"   
She ran to Ash really close and grabbed his hand. They looked into each others eyes and smiled.   
"You did your best, Ash. That's all that matters. I still think you have what it takes to be a master..."   
"Easy for you to say. You're a League Champ and a future member of the Elite Four..."   
"Ash, please...learn something from me. Don't just think about pokemon. Try to enjoy your life, too...Umm...if you don't mind, they're hosting a dance in one of the open tents on the beach, and..."   
Ash hesitated, taking her advice into heart, gently smiled and said, "Sure...let's go." 

**CHAPTER 16: PASSION INTERRUPTED**

They stood before their captives, with several of their henchmen pointing submachine guns in their directions. With the conceit and vanity that they prided themselves on, they interrogated their prisoners as to the whereabouts of the gym leader. Duplica spat in Jesse's face only to receive a stingin' slap across hers. She was quickly kicked to the ground as Jesse proceeded to wipe the spit off her face. Persian-Meowth quickly ran to Duplica and flicked out his index claw, bringing it close to Duplica's neck. Both James and Professor Oak were shocked as to the ruthlessness of Jesse and Persian, but were good at keeping it to themselves.   
"Now, which one of you will volunteer the girl's location, or do I have to...dig a little further?" Persian-Meowth sneered, never losing the team's flair for cheesy puns, and digging his claw further into Duplica's neck, with a little blood trickling out."   
Brock couldn't take it anymore, "Duplica...please tell them. I...I don't want to lose you. Even if they find Misty and Ash, these scum aren't gonna be able to defeat them...please."   
With tears forming in her eyes, Duplica let out, "Misty...I'm sorry...The festival..." 

Elsewhere, another Team Rocket duo was looking overhead, eyeing the festival.   
"Kid, have you spotted that Misty girl yet?" Billy asked.   
"Not yet, but I heard Jesse, James, and their nasty little Persian are around here as well. Giovanni seemed pretty upset hearing those three had lost Professor Oak, from what I heard."   
"You seem to hear a lot, Kid," Machamp groaned, "Just how are you privy to such information?"   
"Let's just say I have ears in all sorts of places, Champie..."   
In the back of Kid's mind, she knew she was starting to blow her identity, but she didn't care. She never joined Team Rocket out of a sincere interest, but as a cover and a front for her mission. Kid wasn't even her real name. Little did her comrades know, but Kid had a very interesting background, one closely related to the being she was sent to look for.   
"Red...Where are you?" 

Further above from the impending action, the dark one, the entity called Red, loomed over all of them, bellowing in laughter, "Every last one of these fools are playing into my hands. Ash's naivete, Misty's loneliness, Jesse's hate, James's weakness, Persian's pride, Giovanni's greed, Gary's arrogance. People are so predictable. Try all you can, father Ash. You cannot stop me from my goal. I will own your little body, with Misty at my side. Out of the water came all living things, and from the womb of the water princess will be born a new race....   
In the midst of his pontificating, he spotted a familiar face among the groups of people he oversaw, one he hadn't seen since battling her back home, "Impossible...IMPOSSIBLE!!! It...can't be her...." 

"Beautiful. Please...I don't want the night to end."   
Ash had never danced before in his life, maybe once with May when they were younger, but he stepped on her feet and she pounded the crap out of him. Misty was more forgiving, having showed him some steps while he tried again and again, until he got it...somewhat. But now they were slow-dancing in a rather close embrace with their eyes closed, and most of the couples already having left the dance floor. As the night ebbed away, they found themselves alone, not wanting to stop. Misty snuggled into Ash, breathing warmly onto his chest, while Ash caressed her back and waist, gently pressing his head against hers. Neither of them could believe the fulfilling comfort they were feeling now, but couldn't deny it, and kept in their embrace as they felt the minutes pass on for what seemed like hours. Hours of sheer bliss. Pikachu watched from the edge of the dance floor, eating a small burger someone had dropped, and looking on at the two trainers, feeling almost like a child to his parents.   
One of the festival attendants suddenly turned off the lights and put out some of the colored lanterns, giving them the cue that they should leave. It was about 3 in the morning, and neither of them could believe it.   
"Umm, we should go, Misty..."   
"Yeah, but I didn't get the chance to talk to you much tonight."   
"About what?"   
"There's a lot I want to know about you, Ash, and a lot you should know about me, and how I feel..."   
"Yeah, I know what you mean," Ash said with a blush.   
"Let's sit on the beach, together..."   
"Right, come on Pikachu. We're taking a walk."   
Misty snatched her high heels with one hand, while Ash grabbed the other, leading her to edge of the beach. It was the most splendid scene for romance, Misty thought to herself, as the moon blessed the soft waves of the ocean with an aquamarine glow. They sat down next each other rather closely, while they took in the splendid scenery, and pondered their next words.   
Misty closed her eyes and flustered a little, "Ash...I have to admit my life hasn't been this exciting until you came into it. That Team Rocket break-in we staged, it was rather fun."   
"It was awesome, and pretty soon, with Professor Oak's help, I can get back to my timeline," Ash said, not knowing his words hurt Misty as he said them.   
"Ash, how much time do you have until you can go back?"   
"It's been five days since I got here, so I'm guessing a week and two days is all I have left."   
"What do you plan on doing when you go back?"   
"Umm...all I can do is go back to my pokemon training with you and Brock."   
"Oh...Ash...before you go, I wanted to know something that only you can tell me."   
"What's that, Misty?"   
"What...was I like to you? I mean, what was our relationship like in your time?"   
Ash knew he'd have to answer questions like these sooner or later, and mustered up all his courage closing his eyes, "You...you were my best friend. But, we didn't start off that way. You always nagged me about your bike when we first met, and we always fought over everything. Before I was thrown into this world, I...I started liking you, secretly..., but I always thought you didn't like me, and I made fun of you and said mean things to you sometimes, just like you would do to me. I'm sorry. If I could take it all back, I would...I...miss the Misty I knew..."   
Surprisingly, Misty didn't react angrily as she normally would. Instead she tried to understand how he saw things from his point of view. She saw the pain in his face as he admitted his feelings for the younger Misty.   
With a slightly saddened face, Misty looked directly at him, asking him the question that was on her mind the most, "Ash...how do you feel about me now?"   
He wasn't prepared to answer. The question scared him even more since he was now with an older Misty, for the younger one would never have been so blunt. He was older and she was older, and their maturity caught up with them. He thought long and hard, blushed heavily, and going against the grain of his 12-year old brain, finally attempted to say something, "You're...you're...I"   
Misty drew close to him, brushing her velvet cheek onto his face and whispered sweetly with a loving smile, "I like you...no matter what timeline I'm in." Little by little, they shut their eyes and brought their lips closer and closer, while Pikachu covered his eyes with his paws in anticipation. 

CHAAABOOOOMM!!!!!   
"What?"   
"Uhh!?"   
The two broke from their loving spell, interrupted by a loud explosion. Pikachu quickly ran to Ash, afraid of the sound, yet attempting to muster his courage. Misty quickly grabbed onto Ash in anger as she saw three figures appear before them. Ash stood up, bewildered by what was happening.   
"I was right about her, James. This...Misty can't seem to control her hormones. What a weakling."   
"Think about it, Jess. If I spent all my time alone traveling around the world training pokemon, I'd feel sexually anxious too. I don't blame her." James said, attempting to sound forgiving, but failing rather miserably.   
"Quit babbling, you two. Now, Ms Waterflower. We've been looking for you,"Persian-Meowth sneered.   
"Who are you? How did you find us?"   
"Call me Jesse. We're the elite of Team Rocket, and though normally I would start our motto, I'm quite tired from torturing your little friends back at Oak's home. It was rather easy finding you after talking to the green-haired ninja girl."   
"No...Duplica..." Misty muttered.   
"It's them," Ash thought to himself. They had changed much from the incompetent pokemon thieves he knew, for James had gained a slight build, and had done away with his old hairstyle, sporting a shorter haircut with two long bangs in front of his face. He wore sunglasses with blue tints, and a suit to match. Jesse had done away with the candy-cane style hair she used to have, instead dividing her long red hair into two parallel, elegant ponytails. Her long dress was a mixture of white and pink cloths sewn in a dazzling array, with a long slit showing her rather sensual right leg. Meowth was an entirely different pokemon. It was a Persian standing fully erect like a human, though his feet looked bigger and heavier, and the fur from his ears were thicker. He almost looked like an undiscovered species of pokemon altogether. But their looks were far from their most formidable quality.   
"Whaddya want me for?!" Misty yelled, seething at the fact that they spoiled her moment with Ash.   
Jesse tapped her chin and spoke, "We're interested in your gym. If you value your life and that of your little friend, you'll hand it over to us without question."   
"And what if I say no, you old hag???!!!"   
Even if Misty was older and had never met Jesse before in this alternate timeline, she pricked the nerve that would unleash Jesse's full vengeance and hatred. Misty looked on in disbelief as Jesse morphed from classy supercriminal of the world, to penultimate she-devil and meta-bitch goddess.   
"Wha...wha....what did she call me?" Jesse said, with several nerves twitching out of her forehead.   
"She just said old hag, Jess. What's the big deal?" James said with an innocent look on his face. 

"GGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! GOOOO, DAARRKK AAAARRRRBBBBOOOOKKKK!!!!!!!!!"   
Ash, Misty and Pikachu readied themselves for a fight. They've never before witnessed ugliness of that magnitude and called out their pokemon in fear.   
"Pikachu and Watchdawg, I choose both of you!!!"Ash yelled, seeing Persian readying itself to join in.   
"I call Starmie!!!"   
"Fear our might!!! FEAR TEAM ROCKET!!! Go, Dark Weezing!!!" James called out, wanting to defend a rather pissed-off Jesse.   
"I call myself. Persian, go!!!" Persian-Meowth growled, "The rat is mine..." 

"Ash, I'll take Jesse. You take on James. Pikachu will have to command itself against Persian."   
"You've read my mind, Misty. You heard that, Pikachu? You have to take on Persian without my commands. You can do it!!!"   
"Pika!!! (Bring it on!!!)"   
Everyone readied themselves for their duel. Jesse and Dark Arbok stared evilly at Misty and Starmie. Ash and his Watchdawg, Satoshi, looked upon James and his Dark Weezing. But Pikachu faced off against a vicious-looking Persian-Meowth, who kept retracting and pushing out his claws in anticipation of having them render Pikachu's flesh from its bone. The wind howled, the waves roared, and little did our heroes know they'd be in for a rude awakening... 

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	5. Epic V

**Kidsclaimer:** You must be kidding. If I really did own Pokemon, you think I would tolerate keeping those kids at roughly the same age they started out as? As long as Ash has existed in the anime, you think he would've a grown a few inches, conquered a major league, and asked Misty out by now. And what about Brock? He should be hitting his dating prime!!! There's plenty of chicks on the net making shrines to the squinty-eyed pimp!!! 

**Author's Crap:** Well now, the cliffhanger is about to end. The fight so big, I devoted an entire chapter to it!!! The wild-haired, time traveling ex-twerp from Pallet, Ash Ketchum, versus the conscience-torn, ex-crossdressing exec, James. And for the ladies, we have the fiery, mallet-swinging, lovestruck redhead from Cerulean, Misty Waterflower, versus the international cat-lady, the uncontested queen of mean, the mega-supreme goddess of all bitchdom, Jesse. And just to add to the tension, we have perhaps the most shocking duel of all time, the electrifying one whose name we dare not speakachu, versus a darker, more powerful and evil evolved form of our old friend turned vile enemy, Meowth. On with the show!!! 

**CHAPTER 17: TRIO OF TERROR**

Everyone's eyes glared at each other, readying themselves for the first strike.   
Jesse glared along with her Dark Arbok, "You don't think you're actually gonna win, do you?"   
"You're dealing with this year's Indigo League champ, so you're the one who should be worried!!!"   
"Misty's right. And I've beaten you three plenty of times, before," Ash added.   
James scratched his head, "Funny, I don't recall ever battling someone as annoying as you..."   
"ENOUGH TALK!!! ATTACK EVERYONE!!!" Persian roared.   
"Satoshi, Howl Attack!!!"   
"Starmie, Psychic Attack!!!"   
"Dark Weezing, Sludge Attack!!!"   
"Dark Arbok, Bite Attack!!!"   
Ash's Watchdawg unleashed its howl attack simultaneously, while Jame's Dark Weezing spit out its Sludge. Both attacks made their target, dealing heavy damage to both, though Satoshi was seriously poisoned and losing energy fast. Clenching their fists, Ash and James simultaneously called the same attack, "Tackle Attack!!!" The two pokemon rammed full force into each other, both dropping to the ground in exhaustion.   
"Stalemate. I'm impressed," James said as he recalled his pokemon along with Ash, "But let's see if you can do the same with...Umbreon, Go!!!"   
Misty's Starmie unleashed the full fury of its Psychic attack, mindful that it didn't have many power points left after battling Ash earlier in the night. It tore deep into Dark Arbok, laying a hard hit, but not before Dark Arbok quickly recovered and unleashed a nasty bite attack, sinking its venom-coated fangs profoundly into Starmie, who was at a serious disadvantage. It reeled back, with only a few points of HP left. Misty was about to command another Psychic attack, but Jesse had a slippery ace up her sleeve.   
"Dark Arbok, Gravity Shot Attack!!!" The black snake unleashed a powerful dark ball from the tip of its tail, striking full force and shattering half the gem at the center of Starmie's body. The crippled starfish flew back from the impact, ultimately falling in front of Misty's feet, twitching in pain as Misty pulled up and held her longtime friend, almost crying.   
Jesse snickered, "Aww...if it makes you feel any better, little girl, all our pokemon are genetically altered and enhanced. That plus some of them have microchips and bionic augments for increased performance." 

"That's sick!!! How could you do that to your own pokemon, you hideous battleaxe!!! Go, Seaking!!! Horn Drill!!!"   
The fuming Jesse, still seething after being insulted by Misty, paid attention too late, for Misty's Seaking quickly materialized and dug its Horn Drill into Dark Arbok, fainting it instantaneously.   
"GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! You're gonna pay for that!!! Go, Misdreavus!!!"   
Persian growled impatiently as it lunged off the rock towards Pikachu. Pikachu quickly used its agility and bounced out of Persian's way. It quickly recovered from his miss and quickly flung its claws at Pikachu, who quickly flipped out of the way and unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt attack, striking full force into Persian's face. The wily cat shrugged off the attack and snorted, with a well-sized grin on its face,"Impressive...this is gonna be fun."   
"Pikachu, watch yourself! Ash said as he called out his next pokemon, "Go, Snorlax!!!"   
The tubby pokemon materialized itself on the sands of the beach, readying itself against James's Umbreon.   
"Umbreon, Faint Attack!!!"   
The dark evolution of Eevee quickly disappeared and unleashed a flurry of shadowy blows on Snorlax, quickly returning in front of its master, but the chunky champion scratched his head, unfazed by the attack.   
"Snorlax, use your Body Slam!!! Full Strength!!!"   
With those words, Snorlax pressed his body down on Umbreon, completely smothering it out of Jame's view. Upon lifting itself back up, all James saw was his Umbreon utterly flattened into the sand.   
"Cute," James said with disconcern as he recalled Umbreon and waited with a smile on his face.   
Ash didn't like the expression on James's face, as if he was confident they would come out on top.   
Pikachu was on the defensive, for Persian kept coming back from his attacks with even more increased effort every time. Persian attempted his Slash attack, but Pikachu proved too fast for it, easily using his agility to dodge the deadly blow. Seeing the futility of his strategy, Persian quickly resorted to using his Fury Swipes, and swifly swiped away at Pikachu. Though Pikachu dodged most of the attack, one of the swipes managed to cut his leg, slowing the little mouse considerably. "Now...I have you right where I want you, you little rat..."   
"Misdreavus, Screech Attack!!!" A piercing, high-pitched yell ran through the air, piercing intensely into everyone's eardrums except Jesse, who was naturally immune to her own pokemon's powers. Misty kept one eye open and saw her Seaking was unaffected, since it didn't have any ears. Her Seaking was at the edge of the beach, and she saw the opportunity to unleash a mighty attack. 

Screaming at the top of her lungs, "SEAKING!!! USE YOUR WATERFALL ATTACK!!!"   
Gathering a heavy amount of water under its fins, Seaking shot like a bullet out of the water, shimmying up Misdreavus with forceful blasts of pounding liquid, beating the banshee-like pokemon like a new drum. Misdreavus quickly dissipated into vapor and ran back into her pokeball, but like James, Jesse was carrying only three pokemon, and both of them were down to their last one. She smiled like James was smiling, and waited for Persian to stop fighting Pikachu.   
Ash only had Snorlax and Pikachu available for combat, his other pokemon already being fainted by Misty during their previous match and Satoshi having fainted simultaneously with Dark Weezing. Misty had only Seaking and Fullfrog, for Starmie had been fainted fighting Dark Arbok, and her other pokemon were exhausted from the mission back at the Team Rocket base. If only she hadn't left her Gyarados back at the gym, what used to be the Magikarp she had caught in that river so long ago, the very Magikarp that took the place of Ash in her timeline. They were barely scraping by with their pokemon, gaining a shaky edge. Seaking was exhausted and Misty had no choice but to recall it, and call her last pokemon.   
"Go, Fullfrog!!!"   
Persian took action against the handicapped Pikachu, expediently pouncing upon the little mouse. Pikachu tried to dodge the attack, but too late, for Persian had tackled it viciously. Pikachu unleashed a thundery bolt, slamming Persian against a rock, its head catching much of the impact. The conceited cat had blood trickle from its forehead, dripping from its eyelid. Before Pikachu could react, Persian roared like a lion and thrust itself full force into Pikachu, slamming it hard on the sand. Everyone looked on as Persian did the most indescribably vicious thing it had ever done, angry at the fact that the unevolved Pikachu had damaged it so. With its feline fangs, it picked up the disoriented Pikachu with its mouth and mangled him like a leftover rag doll, swingin his little body left and right while Pikachu shrieked in terror, ultimately throwing him against one of the rocks. Ash and Misty's heart stopped as they saw Pikachu roll down the side of the rock, tumbling down bruised and bloodied.   
"PIKACHU!!!!!!!!" Ash yelled, with tears already forming in his eyes.   
"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" Misty cried in shock. 

Ash, with all his might, literally kicked Persian-Meowth away from Pikachu, while Misty ran beside him, their pokemon looking on in concern. He picked up Pikachu, embracing him in his arms. Misty placed her hand on his arm, pressing herself against Ash and looking at the injured mouse.   
"Pikachu...no..."   
With all his strength, Pikachu reassured Ash, "Pika-chu-cha-pikacha...(Don't cry. I'm okay...)"   
Trying to lift his head, he uttered,"Pikapi-pika-cha-chu-pi (Ash. Meowth's spirit died long ago.)   
Misty began to weep too, "Pikachu, save your strength. We'll make them pay!!!"   
The two turned towards Jesse, James, and Persian, who was standing next to the two.   
"How sentimental, but our little joust has to end." Persian-Meowth growled.   
Ash fumed at the cat's inconsiderate disregard for life, "You're gonna pay for this, Meowth!!!"   
Misty looked on, seeing their opponents still smiling evilly, "What're you smiling at! Are you surrendering or do you have more pokemon to call out. We're winning so far!!!"   
"Savor this moment, for it shall be your last taste of victory!"Persian roared. The cat got back on all fours, running to the center of Jesse and James. With an arrogant shake of their heads, the two young Rockets reached for their last pokeball. It was a peculiar pokeball, painted black, with the letters "TR" etched on the top half in red. Oddly enough, on the lower half, there a silvery skull etched, with red rubies for eyeballs. They glowed, so much that while they were pulling out the ball, they glittered a fiery red gleam, visible to even Ash and Misty. In a dark echo, they called out their most terrifying and powerful pokemon.   
"GO, VAMPINE!!!" Jesse shouted.   
"GO, SNORNOT!!!" James yelled.   
"What're those?!" Misty called, in utter disbelief over what she was seeing. She pulled out her Aquadyne and attempted to identify the pokemon.   
"Aquadyne, identify the two pokemon!" Misty exclaimed.   
"Pokemon unknown. Data nonexistent." her aquadyne replied.   
"Let me try, Misty. My pokedex may be old, but it was updated by Chronine."   
Ash flipped out his pokedex, and it quickly spilled out the intriquing details.   
"Vampine. The Poltergeist pokemon. This super-rare pokemon is prized highly among ghost trainers around the world. Because of its ability to transcend the natural and supernatural worlds, it wields powerful physical and special attacks with its razor-sharp needle spines."   
With dread, he flicked his pokedex slowly at James's smaller pokemon.   
"Snornot. The Insomniac pokemon. A distant, southern relative of Snorlax, this pokemon's behavior is drastically different. It eats and sleeps on very rare occasions. Because it eats little, it is significantly smaller, but because it is constantly awake, it wields astronomical mental powers." 

Jesse teased at Misty,"What's keepin you, little girl? Call out your pokemon, if you dare. My Vampine's been aching for seafood lately, and your Fullfrog looks rather scrumptious."   
James, wanting to chime in, said to Ash, "It's quite ironic you brought your fat little pokemon here for my Snornot to pound on. Maybe then, you can encourage it to join a health spa!"   
Seething with rage, stemming from both Pikachu's condition and their disgust for their enemies vanity and arrogance, the two trainers called out their pokemon, yelling out their attacks.   
"Snorlax, Hyper Beam!!!"   
"Fullfrog, Hydro Pump!!!"   
The Team Rocket trio looked with sinister faces as Snornot and Vampine commanded themselves against their opponents' pokemon. Snorlax's Hyper Beam shot directly at Snornot, but much to Ash' surprise, the small Snornot dodged the beam and was charging quickly in Snorlax's direction. Fullfrog shot its powerful Hydro Pump, and for a moment it seemed to hit on target, but after the Hydro Pump dissipated, Vampine was still standing fully erect and in an instant, it teleported closer and closer to Fullfrog.   
Misty gasped and grabbed Ash's hand, squeezing it intensely, for she never encountered a pokemon that could withstand Fullfrog's Hydro Pump.   
Ash grimaced, glancing at Misty, and then at Pikachu cradled in his other arm, "The fight's not over yet, Misty!!! Snorlax, Crush that pipsqueak with your Body Slam!!!"   
"Fullfrog, pierce that monster with your Sharp Tongue Attack!!!"   
"Pathetic. Utterly pathetic," Persian purred, for it knew that their remaining pokemon didn't stand a chance. Snorlax landed full force onto Snornot, obstructing it from view, and Fullfrog shot out its tongue with a hard snap. For a moment, it seemed like their attacks were effective, for Snornot wasn't visible under Snorlax's massive belly, and Fullfrog's tongue had pierced full force into Vampine's spiky back.   
"Alright!!!" Ash cheered.   
"We...we did it!!!" Misty smiled. 

But then they noticed something that would shock them beyond belief. Snorlax wasn't getting up from the Body Slam, and Vampine hadn't fainted yet. Little by little, Snorlax was coming up, but not on its feet. Fullfrog was unable to retract its tongue, for it was caught by Vampine's various spines. In the blink of an eye, Snornot lifted the massive Snorlax and threw him viciously in front of Ash. Vampine pulled Fullfrog towards it by the tongue like a child with a yo-yo, and rammed its head full strength into its soft underbelly, sending it flying in front of Misty.   
Jesse and James, ever the consummate masters of rhyme, spoke their final commands.   
"We've toyed with them long enough. Snornot, Disable it and use Knuckle Punch!!!   
"They couldn't handle it when the going got rough. Vampine, Glare it and use your Spiny Crunch!!!"   
Ash's Snorlax was frozen in place with Disable and sent flying with Snornot's Knuckle Punch, while Misty's Fullfrog was paralyzed in place with Glare and needled numerous times with Vampine's Spiny Crunch. The two trainers stood in disbelief as their last pokemon were fainted before their eyes.   
"Noooo!!!!!" Ash yelled.   
"I..I can't believe it." Misty whispered. 

Jesse made a sinister laugh, "Well now, Miss "Indigo Champ"? Did you really think you and your little boy toy over there were gonna win tonight? We're Team Rocket. Our hands envelop almost everything in the world now, including the very league you conquered this year. You may've been the champ, but we were behind it all. Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!"   
James, hiding the remorse he felt after seeing what happened to Pikachu, cued in, "Don't make this any harder on yourself and don't take this the wrong way. You fought well, but...you're not of Team Rocket caliber." With those words, he pulled out a gas gun and pointed it at them.   
"I'm sorry," he said in his mind as he shot the gun, shooting a pellet of sleeping gas and knocking out Ash, Misty, and Pikachu. They coughed and rolled on the ground, finally asleep.   
"Recall their fainted pokemon back in their balls, and take them to the evaluation lab. They're all rather powerful, I'll admit. We'll need to check their abilities." Persian commanded.   
Jesse recalled the fainted Snorlax and Fullfrog, but when she tried to recall Pikachu, she saw it didn't have its own pokeball, "This...boy's Pikachu doesn't have a ball. Strange."   
"Throw it in a dumpster. We don't need that pitiful, unevolved excuse for a pokemon," Persian sneered.   
"No!!! I'll take it for myself. I'll carry it," James said, taking Pikachu away from Jesse.   
They threw the two young trainers in the back of one of the grunt's vans, joining an unconcious Professor Oak, and rode off into the night, heading for Team Rocket's global headquarters, the very heart of Team Rocket...Viridian City. 

**CHAPTER 18: UNLIKELY ALLIES**

Little by little, his eyes opened. They were blurred, and he couldn't make out where he was. It was a long, dark room, adorned with various plants lined up on the edges. A very long, granite table stretched out to the very end. He had an overhead view, for strangely enough, he was tied up on a pole-like structure. With what little strength he had in his neck, he turned painfully towards the towering glass windows. He couldn't make out much of anything from his blurred vision, save for the fact that it was a rainy day, and the building he was in was a very tall skyscraper, overlooking much of the city below him. Finally he dropped his head, accepting the futility of his situation, with only one thing on his mind, Misty. Then he noticed a figure coming in the room and walking in his direction. After a long walk, the figure finally came in front of our hero, lighting up a cigar, and blowing the smoke in his face. Ash coughed while the figure laughed and proceeded to talk.   
"Hmm...I must say your appearance was totally unexpected. I'm still wondering how you arrived here. I had my lab test a blood sample just to make sure you were Ash Ketchum, and much to my disbelief, you matched his DNA. I figured after having you kidnapped along with your Pikachu the night you were supposed to start your legendary pokemon journey, you'd just be erased from your pathetic existence."   
Ash, still dreary from the sleeping gas, uttered, "You're behind all of this...Gi....Giovanni?"   
"Well, you're not as dense as some people make you out to be."   
"Why? Why... are you doing this?"   
Giovanni paced in front of one of the towering windows, "Quite simple, Ash my boy. Power. Wealth. The motivating factors of any criminal mastermind. It's ironic that the woman I once loved, the very one who left me because of my ambitions, would bear a son that would eventually cause the downfall of my organization. I should kill you now, boy. But...out of respect for Delia, I won't. All I can promise you is a world where I shall reign with the children of Team Rocket, with you as my slave."   
"WHERE'S MISTY?!"   
With those words, he started walking away, until turning back to look at Ash, leaving his final words, "About the girl you were with, the Cerulean Gym Leader...Misty, as you call her. She will soon give us the deed to her gym, but after she does, I'm afraid she'll meet with a rather untimely demise. I want you to share the same heartache I had after your mother left me, and live with it for the rest of your life, the same as I. That's another reason I'm not killing you."   
Ash struggled, the rage building in his heart, causing some blood to trickle from his wrists, "GRRRR!!!! IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MISTY, I'M GONNA...GRRRR!!!!"   
Giovanni left the room with an audible laugh, enough to make Ash struggle even more. He struggled for minutes on end, scraping his wrists and upper forearm, yet the pain didn't matter. His thoughts were on Misty, and nothing else. Ash finally stopped, finally bowing his head and crying, not noticing someone else had just entered the room. He didn't even notice the footsteps coming in his direction, completely absorbed in sorrow. Little by little the footsteps came closer, until he took notice and slowly lifted his head, seeing a familiar face. 

"Hi there."   
"Grrr!!! What're you doing here!!!"   
"Don't yell. Keep quiet and listen to me. I'm not supposed to be in here. Ssshhh!!!"   
"Huh?!"   
It was Kid, the Team Rocket member who Ash and friends previously tangled with. She was still in her unique Team Rocket outfit, but she didn't have a look of condescension, but more a face of concern.   
"If you're not supposed to be in here, why are you?" Ash asked her.   
"Ash, listen to me. Forget about everything I've done to you so far and listen. We're on the same side."   
"How do you figure that?"   
"I came here to save you, let me untie you." Kid said as she untied Ash from the pole and handed him a package, "Put on the suit and the fake ID I made for you. We have to leave soon."   
"Why are you doing this, Kid?" Ash said as he put on the garb she gave him.   
"I'll explain later. Your Watchdawg can wait. We have to find your little girlfriend, since she's in the most danger now. You've just become a Rocket exec. And your name Ashton Cashem."   
"Kid, let's hurry! My body feels like it deteriorating already." 

In a lower level, James sat in his office, with his eyes focused on the cage with the Pikachu he just obtained. He was sifting through some files he had on his desk, some pertaining to today's convention, and others he had secretly taken from Jesse's desk. Team Rocket representatives from around the globe were meeting today, in the grand hall of the third floor. Jesse and Meowth were there, but James decided to stay behind for a bit, to get the stats on the pokemon they confiscated from Ash and Misty. Their pokeballs were hung on a rack in his office, having recently been delivered from Team Rocket's medical facility. All the pokemon were healed, including Pikachu, though James requested it be given anesthesia to let it rest some more. Little by little, its eyes opened, and quickly made out a blurry image of James peering in front of him. Pikachu reacted appropriately.   
"KAAAACCCCHUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
"OOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"   
"Grrr...what'cha do that for, you little rodent? I wasn't going to hurt you. In fact, I was the one who saved you from getting thrown into a dumpster!" James spat, getting back up and regaining his composure.   
"PIKAPI-PIKA-CHA-CHUUU!!!!"   
Pikachu kept trying to tell James things, and James little by little, realized Pikachu was trying to tell him something. Pikachu started crying, gaining James's sympathy, tearing into his haunting conscience. Then it hit James. Last year, he bought an experimental prototype of a poketongue translator from a friend he had in Silph Company, famous the world over for pokemon products. He fumbled for it around his desk, never having fully made use of the contraption. He sat it in front of Pikachu, and plugged in some batteries. There was a small screen on the calculator-like device, where the words would come out. Turning it on, he asked Pikachu to talk.   
"Come on, Pikachu. Talk."   
Pushing his tears away, Pikachu started talking, "Pikapi-cha-pikacha!"   
The words came out on the screen, though the translator still had a few bugs and didn't make out some words right, "(Ach...Nistee, where?)"   
"Hmm...Ach and Nistee? You mean Ash and Misty! I'm sorry to say they were taken prisoner, little guy," James said, trying to ameliorate the situation.   
"PIKA-CHA-CHUPIKA-PI-CHU!!! (JEMS...LISTEN ME...YOU. EVERYONE DANGER!!!)   
"Jems? Who's Jems? Wait..did you just call me Jems? You mean James?!"   
"Pika! (Yes!)"   
"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you something. What did your trainer mean when he said he fought us before? I don't remember ever fighting him."   
Pikachu turned away, "Pi. Pikachu-chu-cha-cha-chu-pi (In our world, we fought you all the time.)   
"What do you mean "your world"?"   
"Kachu-ka-cha-pichu-kachu. (Me and my master are from the past, trying to protect his existence.)"   
James fell back surprised, "What? That can't be? Could it?"   
"Pikachu-chukapi-chuka-cha (The time machine from Team Rocket. It started everything.)   
"I know what you're talking about. I had a feeling that thing was dangerous," James muttered.   
Before James could continue, Pikachu cut him off, "Chu-chu-pika-pika-cha!!! (Let us go!!! Ach will die soon if not in contact with Watchdawg!!!" Pikachu cried while pointing at Ash's pokeballs hung up on the wall. 

James looked at Pikachu with a blank expression, hiding the inner conflict in his soul. On the one hand, he had captured Professor Oak and Misty. Guilt was welling up in him so far, but it hadn't swelled up just yet. He looked at Pikachu, who had sat back down and continued crying like a lost child. In an instant, he asked himself deep in his heart, what was the right thing to do? He looked away from Pikachu, his eyes coming again upon an old picture of him, Jesse, and little Meowth. Every day he looked at that picture, missing the joy and loving friendship he once had with them. For James, the day had arrived, the very day he dreaded since realizing the loss of his friends. What was he going to choose? Comfort the sorrow of a pokemon without its master, or satisfy the greed for power of his friends and the vicious organization they represented?   
James asked one last question to little Pikachu, "What was I like in your past, when your master existed?"   
Pikachu answered softly, "Pika-pika...pi. (You had your...friends.)"   
He closed his eyes and reached out. The only sound made in the room was that of a lock falling off.   
"Pikachu, come with me. We'll have to free Misty first, since she's in the most immediate danger." 

"So, Ash and Misty are somewhere in this tall building. How should we go about finding them?"   
Brock was consulting Duplica, who was more the brains of their legendary operations. He was dressed in a very stylish tux, accompanied by a dazzling Duplica, wearing a dress similar to the one Jesse had worn when they had taken them hostage and tortured them into telling where Misty and Ash were in Porta Vista. Ever the perfect Houdini, Duplica managed to untie herself from Team Rocket's ropes, and with her brawny sidekick Brock, managed to track Jesse and James trail back to Viridian City, through Duplica's smarts and Brock's intimidation. They heard on the street of a massive global convention being held in Team Rocket headquarters in Viridian. Only global executive officers, and guests were allowed inside the convention on this special day, and Duplica had fashioned some fake credentials from some cards Brock stole from some rocket grunts.   
Duplica whispered in his ear, "Brock, you stay behind and see what this shindig is about. I'll fish around the building with the disquise I brought. When I've located one or the other, I'll call you on the headset. Got it?"   
"No sweat. Do your thing, girl. I'll stay here."   
Duplica ran off, while Brock stayed behind at the grand convention hall on the third floor. It was an exquisite lobby, with an illustrious fountain in the center, adorned with various crystal sculptures of pokemon. Beautiful girls were everywhere, many of them Rocket execs, and Brock resisted the urge to hit on any of their despicable kind...just barely. 

Little by little, the redhead woke up, with her vision blurred. The room she was in was dark, with only a glimmer of light spotlighting the floor in front of her. She was tied on a rather plush office seat, bound on the arms by thick rope. All she could make out in the small room were four Rocket grunts armed with assault rifles. In the middle of grunts was a young man accompanying a woman talking on her cellphone. Slowly she came into focus. Turning back towards Misty, she quickly cracked a sinister smile and finished her conversation. Taking small, yet loud, reverberating steps, she and her partner finally stopped in front her. Misty said nothing but the girl finally started talking.   
"Hmm. This is quite a honor. I'd've never thought I actually ever meet you in person."   
"Who...who are...you?"Misty asked.   
"I'm the torture specialist assigned to you tonight. You can call me Cassidy."   
The boy next to her chimed in, "And I'm the legal specialist here, with property documents for you to sign. You can call me Butch."   
Misty looked around her, seeing Ash wasn't with her, "WHERE'S ASH, YOU FILTHY CREEPS?!"   
Cassidy sneered, "You must mean that boy. He's...hung up at the moment in our boss's office, literally."   
Misty started sobbing lightly, "No...Ash..."   
Butch came close to her and smiled, "You should save your tears for later, when Cassidy gives you the royal treatment, my little water master. Then you'll really have a reason to cry!!!"   
"But no worries just yet, Misty," said a leather-clad Cassidy, "My boss, James, told me on my cellphone just a moment ago to delay my performance until he arrives. I guess he wants to oversee this personally." 

Ash and Kid ran down the endless flights of stairs, staying as clandestine as possible.   
"Ash, Misty's being held on the 15th level. We have to get to her quick!!!"   
Ash curiously asks her, "Why is everyone so interested in Misty? Can you tell me?"   
Kid, not wanting to reveal too much until the appropriate time, "Giovanni wants her gym as a holy ground, a place where he can summon up the power of the ancient pokemon goddess, The Water Mother. But...the greater threat is Red, the dark entity that you met at Oak's lab."   
"How do you know about Red meeting me at the lab?!" Ash asked her.   
"I have eyes everywhere, Ash, just like Red. I'll reveal everything I know to you at the right time. But now, we have to save Misty, before Red gets his hands on her, and get you back in Watchdawg's protection."   
"Right!!!" 

James and Pikachu finally arrived on the 15th floor. He busted through the doors, startling Misty, Butch, and Cassidy, who were teasing Misty in a preliminary custom they fashioned prior to their torture.   
"All of you have been relieved of your duties. You are to return to your usual posts."   
Butch quivered, "But boss, Jesse and Persian gave us specific orders..."   
James cut him off ferociously, "I'll take it up with them, then!!! I gave you an order!!! Now leave!!!"   
Misty sat shocked, as she saw James with Pikachu, taking authority and kicking all of them out. But before they could all leave, something terrifying happened. The hallway darkened, and in a flash of a moment, purple lightning flashed into the room, sending both the grunts and Butch and Cassidy flying back, falling onto the ground unconscious. James and Pikachu turned around, only to receive a powerful force blast knocking them both to one side. A dark figure emanated from the doorway, walking past the unconscious guards and a hurt James and Pikachu. It stopped before Misty and stuck out his hand. A strange dark mass undid the ropes that bound Misty to the chair. She was utterly afraid of what stood before her. It was the same dark mass she saw back in Oak's lab.   
"No...NO!!!"   
"A pleasure to see you once again, Misty. Now, come with me to the dawn of a new world. A world from which you and I shall reign supreme!!!"   
James and Pikachu fell horrified witness as the dark one quickly enveloped her and vanished into the shadows of the room. He tried to get up, while Pikachu tried to save Misty, only he was too late.   
"CHA!!! (MISTY!!!)" 

**CHAPTER 19: THE CULLING**

The convention hall was called to attention. About 1000 representatives from around the world were here. Brock had found his seat, waiting to hear any word from Duplica on his headset. He noticed Jesse was among the attendants, along with the vile Persian-Meowth, who wasn't looking so well, almost sickly. He made sure to stay away from her, donning his shades to look even less recognizable. Giovanni's personal assistant was the emcee. He came in front of the podium and began a rather interesting speech.   
"Welcome all to this special convention. On behalf of our leader, I would like to extend the utmost thanks for your participation. As you know, this organization has existed for 20 years, advancing mostly the sciences of aerospace and rocketry, hence our name Team Rocket. But by now, you have all probably heard the rumors about the amazing technological advances in our neophysics and pokegenics departments. Now I would like to call our leader to address and make official these claims. As you know, this information is strictly confidential to everyone attending this convention, including guests. Any breach of this contract, and you will face the leader's wrath. Please stand up and applaud our leader as he comes to the floor."   
Everyone came up and clapped, including Brock, though his heart was definitely not in it. Giovanni took the podium, and wouldn't start until the applause died down.   
"Gee, what a pompous weirdo..."Brock thought to himself, with his mind on Duplica. 

Huffing and puffing, Kid and Ash busted through the doors where Misty was formerly held hostage. Immediately he shouted, "Grrr, let Misty go!!! Huh?" He and Kid saw before them several knocked out Rocket henchmen, along with what looked like Butch and Cassidy, but different.   
An infuriated Ash quickly spotted what looked like Pikachu, "Pikachu?!"   
"Pikapi! (Ash!)"   
The mouse ran away from a delirious James, and embraced his master lovingly, but Ash spotted James and with vengeance in his heart, grabbed him by the collar furiously while Pikachu pleaded in James's favor.   
"Grrr...where's Misty?! What happened here, James???!!! Tell me or I'll...!!!"   
James, lifting his other arm, handed Ash two straps lined with pokeballs, "T..Take them..."   
A surprised Ash grabbed the straps, and called to Kid to help him with James. She strode quickly to him and helped Ash hoist him up. James struggled to stay up and said with a rather frightened words, "I'm sorry, but I tried to save her."   
"What?!"   
"I...had a change of heart. But...something black like a shadow came and took her away."   
Kid muttered, "No...Red took her. We came too late."   
Ash apologized to James and asked, "Why, James? Why did you want to help us?"   
James, slowly regaining his strength, "Your Pikachu...convinced me. But I came across some startling documents too, something about an experiment in time travel, and a kidnapping being documented by Jesse. It was of this boy." He handed Ash a picture, while Kid peered to one side.   
"It's me!" Ash exclaimed while looking at a picture of him and Pikachu enclosed in a strange device.   
Kid grabbed Ash's hand, "We don't have much time. We have to get to Mt. Silver!!!"   
"But what about Misty???!!!"Ash yelled.   
"Pika-pikacha!!! (We have to save her!!!)"   
Kid turned around, "Red's taking her there!!! Come on!!!"   
Before they left, Ash stretched out his hand to James, "Ya taggin' along or what?"   
He shook Ash's hand, "I guess this means I'm doing something good for a change. Let's go!!!" 

The three ran out the doors, but out of nowhere, Jesse ran out in front of them.   
"Waaah!!!"   
"Yee-hoo-hoo!!!"   
"Uh-oh!!!"   
"Pika!!!"   
Jesse shot out in front of them, "Ash!!! What're you doing with those two???!!!" What looked like Jesse pulled off her face.   
"Du...Duplica!!! How did..?"   
Duplica, still holding the Jesse mask, asked, "What's going on here, Ash? Where's Misty?"   
"She was kidnapped by Red, that black thing me and Misty ran into back at Oak's lab!!!"   
"What?!"   
"Kid here rescued me, and James here freed Pikachu and gave me back my pokeballs with Satoshi. But when he tried to free Misty, Red came in and took her!!!"   
Kid interjected, "Duplica, we're telling the truth. We have to get to Mt. Silver. Red's headed there with Misty, and if we don't stop him soon, this whole world is doomed!!!"   
James tried to convince her, "I apologize for what I did back at Porta Vista, but Jesse's been double-crossing me all this time, not telling me she assisted in kidnapping a younger vAsh from his time."   
"I'm finding this hard to believe..."Duplica muttered.   
Quickly Satoshi jumped out of his pokeball and barked to Duplica, "Woof, they speak the truth, Duplica. Everyone, we still have time to reach Mt. Silver and save Misty and the world. But there is a present threat that needs to be taken care of. The Team Rocket convention. I've read Giovanni's mind earlier, and he has sinister plans about to be executed, and unfortunately, everyone in that convention hall is about to fall victim unless something is done to disrupt the convention now!!! I'm afraid Brock is among those attending!"   
"Oh, no...Brock!!!" Duplica shrieked, "I left him down there!!! I have to warn him!!!" 

Back at the convention, Brock was rather busy, with an exec.   
An insanely attractive Rocket chick sat next to our girl-crazy hero and advanced upon him, "Hey there, hot stuff. What brings you to the convention?"   
"Ehhh!!!!"   
Unknown to the brawny bruiser, he accidentally severed the plug from his headset. 

"Brock!!! Brock, come in!!! No!!!" Duplica yelled heartbroken on her headset.   
Ash, with both Misty and Brock on his mind and heart, "Everyone!!! All bets are off. Let's go crash that party and show Giovanni who can really throw a bash!!! Let's do it fast so we can save Misty!!!"   
"Right!!!" all his comrades affirmed, clenching their fists and running down the stairs. 

"And so, with the discovery of space-time displacement, we are now able to walk across the fabric of time. Team Rocket shall finally rule this land uncontested. I am your father. You are my chosen children. I instituted what you may know as the boy-girl team rule to keep our genders even, in the hopes that one day, you would sire a new race, one entirely devoted to the belief that we are superior to others, and that all the pokemon and riches of the world are ours for the taking. Right now, this is the day. You may now choose your mates so we can commence with our imminent invasion. Afterwards, you will look at the vidscreen, explaining my master plan, and then we will all head to to our stronghold base in Mt. Silver, where you will be transported by our time machine en masse to the very beginning of human history."   
With those frightening words, Giovanni left the podium, with sinister ideas in the back of his head, "Little do my own children know, the video I'm about to show them will make them into my mind-slaves. Ah, world domination has to come at a cost, what can I say?"   
Much to Brock's disbelief, he was approached by several, mega-sexy Rocket execs, asking if he wanted to become their mate for their master race. Though Brock was EXTREMELY flattered, he barely shrugged off their advances, trying to reassure himself that all these girls were all absolutely, positively, 200-proof nuts. He curled into a ball, put his hands on his flustered head, closed his eyes and whimpered out, "Duplica, why hath thou forsaken me? I'm trying to be seduced by tons of evil, yet vivaciously beautiful girls and you're not here to whack me into my senses!!!"   
Like an angel, a familiar hand came upon Brock, smacking him upside the head, "Brock, stop screwing around and help me! We have to cause a ruckus and disrupt this convention!!!   
"Doop!!! Ooh, I'm so glad to see you!!!" Brock said, hugging Duplica. At that very moment, he never saw a more beautiful sight, for in the midst of a flurry of crazed beauties, he realized what true beauty meant when he saw her, the only inkling of sanity in this otherwise insane situation. Perhaps innappropriately, but lovingly, he quickly embraced Duplica and placed on her the most heartfelt kiss he could muster.   
Duplica pushed him away, and Brock quickly tried to apologize, "I'm sorry, Doop. I don't know what came over me...I"   
Blushing, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards an exit, "Call me "Doop" again, and next time you kiss me, I'll bite your lips. Come on!!! We don't have much time!!!" 

Ash, James, Pikachu, and Satoshi ran across the back of the huge vidscreen, two levels up from the convention floor. Quickly, they knocked out the guards and took their weapons. They each took a corner of the the upper supports for the massive screen and, having the same thing in mind, called out the appropriate pokemon.   
"Charizard, melt the steel support with your Flamethrower!!!"   
"Snornot, tear the metal frames with your Brainstorm!!!"   
Ash's Charizard's super hot Flamethrower melt one the supports while James's Snornot used its Brainstorm to unscrew and rip the metal support beams holding the screen up. As the video was about to commence, the screen began to fall down. 

"Whaddya mean we can't leave???!!! I'm a Team Rocket exec!!!" Brock yelled at the grunt guarding the convention hall doors, "Me and my Rocket mate wanna mate!!! OWWW!!!!"   
Duplica stepped on Brock's foot while she blushed and attempted to persuade the grunt, "What my partner means is we have to leave for an emergency. Let us through please."   
"I'm sorry but I have strict orders from Giovanni not to let absolutely anyone leave the room until the ceremony is over. Wait!!! What's going on!!! LOOK OUT!!!" the guard said, pointing at the huge vidscreen, which was slowly falling down in their direction.   
"I guess that's our cue," Brock said, lifting a thumbs up to what he saw was Ash at the top of the vidscreen with Pikachu and Satoshi hovering above them. He quickly morphed his thumbs up into a fist and rammed it strong into the guard's gut, while Duplica kneed the guard in the face and busted through the door with Brock in tow.   
"Just to brief you, Brock. Misty was captured by someone called Red."   
"Red?!"   
"Remember that dark being Ash and Misty kept talking about? She's being taken to Mt. Silver, beyond the Indigo Plateau. We have to plan the getaway to get there. Ash and James will meet us up front. You start the car up and wait while I stage an Officer Jenny rerouting. Got it?" 

An overexcited Ash and James quickly recalled their pokemon and latched onto some banners, which were on either side of the tumbling vidscreen, and slid down to the convention floor, in the midst of a frenzy of Rocket execs and various guest running away from the falling vidscreen. It crashed down finally, catching the attention of a distant Giovanni, who quickly noticed the loud bang and ran back to the convention hall. Ash and Pikachu regained their senses in the chaos of people scrambling to leave the floor, while some of the hall lights were destroyed and flickering, creating a strobe-like effect on some parts of the huge lobby. Satoshi flew down to Ash, while James slowly ran to them and motioned them to leave until he heard a familiar voice.   
"JAMES!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WITH HIM???!!!" Jesse yelled in disbelief.   
"I knew he was too weak to be one of us. TRAITOR!!!" Persian roared.   
"Why James? Why spoil everything for us?! Everything was going to plan!!!" she kept yelling in shock.   
"Never!!! I can't be a part of this and you knew it!!! That's why you never told me you had a part in kidnapping the younger version of this boy from his timeline!!! You knew I wouldn't've condoned it!!!"   
"Huh?! You looked through my files..."   
"Yes, Jessica. I did. But what does it matter to you?! Whatever love you had you lost long ago. To believe I once admired you, but...look at yourself. Look at the lives you helped destroy, the destinies you erased, all so you can achieve your petty claim on a madman's greedy dreams!!! And in the midst of it all, you destroyed yourself, the girl I met so long ago...my friend."   
"ENOUGH OF YOUR DRIBBLE!!!" Persian-Meowth growled as it struck at James, slashing the flesh of James's chest open with his Slash attack.   
"NOOOOO!!!!" Jesse yelled, smacking Persian out of the way, trying to catch James before he fell.   
"JAMES!!!"Ash yelled, readying Pikachu just in case Persian tried to attack them too.   
"What have you done, Meowth? What's wrong with you?" Jesse cried as she held James in her arms.   
Persian-Meowth looked at himself and what he had just done. He couldn't believe he had struck his old friend, his old partner. He saw the frightened glares from their eyes, and his deadened conscience tried to resurface, but to no avail. All Persian could do was run away, realizing he had fallen from the furthest grace possible.   
Ash looked on as Jesse held James, crying uncontrollably, while James bled on his shirt, cracking a faint smile and trying to get up.   
"So...that's what loves all about. Being there for each other, no matter what," Ash thought to himself, with Misty on his mind, "Misty, wherever you are right now, know that I'm gonna be there soon..."   
"I'm coming for you, Misty. I love you," he whispered under his breath. 

"Ash?!" Misty shouted.   
She was surrounded by darkness, with purplish material shooting out from every direction. Misty couldn't make out her surroundings, but noticed she was without her clothes, save for some of the purplish, shiny material covering her private areas. Instead of crying, she gathered whatever courage she could and called out her captor's name.   
"RED!!! WHERE ARE YOU???!!! SHOW YOURSELF!!!"   
The dark one called Red, phased into form before her and grinned along with his phantom, gray Pikachu.   
"Ah...so happy to see you awake finally. Now it is only a matter of time. Prepare to become the legendary Water Mother, Misty. Prepare to cleanse the world of all humanity and pokemon-kind!!!" 

**CHAPTER 20: SONATA MORTE DI GIOVANNI**

With thoughts of Misty pressing him on, Ash called to Pikachu and Satoshi the Watchdawg, and ran to Jesse and the injured James.   
"Satoshi, can you help James?"   
With a touch of its paw, Satoshi magically closed James's wounds. Life began seeping into Jame's pallid complexion. Jesse watched in awe as her longtime friend was being cured and healed. She may have had a heart of stone, but in a rare instant her heart was genuinely touched and softened, forcing her gratitude.   
"I'm...I'm sorry...Ash. If there's anything I can do...I"   
"Jesse, there is something you can do! I almost forgot about Professor Oak. Please, if you and James can free him and take him to Mt. Silver. We might need his help."   
"No problem, kid!" Jesse said, helping her longtime friend James up, and extending her hand in gratitude. Ash took her hand in friendship, but little did they know, they were being watched by their boss. 

"Consider yourselves fired, Jesse and James," Giovanni said, walking towards them with gentle, yet firm steps, "And as for you, Ash. I'm quite impressed by your tenacity and the ability you seem to have of making friends out of anyone, including your enemies, though this is where it ends. With the time machine in my hands, even you aren't a threat anymore. I don't know how you arrived in this time, and you may have set me back a little with your exploits, but it means nothing with all the time in my hands. Try all you want, you're only delaying the inevitable. Though I'll always keep your mother close to my heart, I can despise your father, and you, his son. Die, Ash Ketchum. Go, Niversa!!!"   
With those words, Giovanni threw a shining, crystalline pokeball. In a flash of incredible light, a terrifying pokemon appeared. It stood six stories high, was perfectly black and shiny, with four eyes each glowing red. It stood on two legs, yet had six forearms. All our heroes stepped back, as Ash fumbled for his pokedex in absolute terror.   
"It's him," Satoshi barked, readily recognizing the ancient pokemon. 

"Niversa. The Primordial pokemon. This pokemon is said to have been the first pokemon ever to exist. It wields all characteristics of all pokemon, all elements, and all attacks. Only one throughout the history of the world is said to have existed, and was the progenitor of all pokemon-kind. As far as it is known, it has no type."   
Everyone stood back as the monster roared and growled, advancing slowly on them. Seeing his newfound companions in fear, Ash did something both courageous and unwise, but honorable, "Jesse, James, go free the professor and take him to Mt. Silver like I asked."   
"But, but don't you want us to help in the fight?" James asked.   
"This is between me and him, you two,"Ash said, with Pikachu and Satoshi rallying to his side, "Go. I can handle whatever he throws at me. Grrr...."   
"You better meet us at Mt. Silver, Ash! Or else you'll have to face me beyond the grave!" Jesse yelled, pulling James along with her.   
With the strobing lights illuminating him, he sized up his opponent like he's done several times before. Giovanni made a sinister laugh as his pokemon approached Ash with deft, clinical precision. Pikachu and Satoshi kept moving in conjunction with Ash.   
"Satoshi, how do we approach fighting this thing?"   
"I don't know how to tell you this, Ash, but this thing is unstoppable. The only one I knew capable of stopping such a monstrous pokemon was Chronine himself, but he's not here."   
"But you are, Satoshi! If you're the pre-evolution of a Chronine, then you have to be able to stop it too!"   
Satoshi was able to read minds, but it didn't expect to hear such encouragement from Ash, even in quite possibly the most impossible situation they could find themselves in. The little Watchdawg listened intently, while Pikachu cheered him along.   
"Pika-pikachu-pika!!! (Come on! We have to win!!!)"   
"WOOOOFFFF!!!!!" Satoshi barked as it came in front of Ash, linking his mind with Ash's and readying itself for action.   
"Satoshi, I choose you!!!" 

"HAH!!! Is that little runt of a pokemon what you're calling out? You're more pathetic than I believed." Giovanni sneered as he snapped his fingers, commanding Niversa to attack, "Niversa, Magna Beam!!! Obliterate them into pieces."   
Ash, linked with Satoshi's mind, called out his defense move, "Satoshi...use your Aura and guard us!"   
The awesome power of Niversa's Magna Beam was unleashed, striking full force directly at our hero. But, much to Giovanni's amazement, Satoshi's Aura shield held up, completely blocking off the Magna Beam, and leaving himself, Ash and Pikachu out of harm's way. Giovanni stood shocked, seeing his pokemon's most powerful attack brushed off by a measly looking floating dog with a clock on its stomach. Ash kept a stoic pose, crossing his arms with clenched fists.   
Giovanni sneered in an arrogant tone, "I must say you're quite impressive, but not up to par. Niversa, Shadow Strike, Ultimate Attack!!!"   
With those words, Niversa disappeared into thin air, and in an instant, a flurry of hits pounded Ash and his pokemon, knocking them down nastily in a few hits. Satoshi fortunately had an advantage over dark attacks, and didn't feel much of the hits, but his trainer and Pikachu were down, and hurting bad.   
The master criminal gloated,"Hmm, without your master, I'm afraid you can't do much, you little mutt. Hah! Hah!" 

"What's keeping Ash? You'd think a guy with a babe like Misty would be more proactive in rescuing his fair dame!" Duplica thought to herself while she directed traffic in all sorts of bizarre manners using her Officer Jenny disquise. Brock and Kid were in an alleyway with the getaway vehicle, looking at and waiting intently for Duplica to give him the signal to start the car to make the getaway.   
"Come on, Ash," Brock thought to himself, "Whatever situation you're in, you have to come through...for Misty's sake."   
Kid, somehow linked with Red's mind, started having convulsions. Brock quickly grabbed her, trying to calm her down. Kid finally stopped and gasped, "No!!! He's trying to take over her body!!!" 

Slowly, Red's dark soul and sentiments began to creep into her mind. She resisted with all her might, trying to keep her thoughts on Ash, the one who had made so much difference in her life. The one who had encouraged her to go on his journey to reclaim his life, the one who had brought so much joy to her heart and soul amidst the sadness in her life, the one with whom she had bonded for so little and briefly, yet so deeply and lovingly in her timeline. Red forced his gaze into her eyes, tearing into her soul, trying to undo her mind and heart.   
"He's my friend!!!"   
"No, he's not. He cares more about his future than yours."   
"You're lying!!! He's trying to save all our futures!!!"   
"Nonsense, Misty. He's here only to deceive you into caring."   
"No!!! He really loves me!!!"   
"Think about it, Misty. If he really did love you, wouldn't he have chosen to stay with you instead of going back to his timeline, a timeline where you and him were merely friends. You know nothing of love!!!"   
With those words, she cried out, "NNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Little by little, she blacked out into unconsciousness, crying profusely, whimpering away into a seemingly everlasting spiral of sorrow.   
"I'm sorry...Ash. I tried the best I could...I...I'll love you...always." 

Ash got up slowly, seeing his Watchdawg spar in mid-air with the behemoth pokemon, Niversa. Pikachu lifted its little head bit by bit, eyeing the action above. Satoshi kept teleporting away from a flurry of attacks Niversa sent its way. Niversa was noticeably tiring out, and somehow Satoshi was maintaining his stamina. Niversa unleashed a second Magna Beam, only to be blocked by another Aura Barrier from Satoshi. The small Watchdawg quickly teleported next to Ash, relinking his mind to him.   
"Ash, we don't have much time!!! I'm reading Kid's mind and its telling me Red took over Misty's body. If we don't get rid of this monstrosity and head to Mt. Silver soon, you and she will suffer a terrible fate!"   
The young trainer thought long and hard, and finally it struck him. Jesse mentioned cybernetic augmentation...   
"Right!!! Satoshi, use your AntiMatter attack!!! Break'em down now!!!"   
"Pikachu, on my cue, jump in and use your electrolysis. Got it!!!"   
"Pikacha!!!(For Misty!!!)"   
"Right, Pikachu!!! FOR MISTY!!!"   
Satoshi unleashed it most powerful attack, AntiMatter. With unprecedented power, the little Watchdawg shot a black particle beam from its small clock, even larger than Niversa's Magna Beam. The beam cut straight across Niversa's face, cut a gash across its forehead while the monster roared in pain.   
"IMPOSSIBLE!!!" Giovanni yelled.   
With Misty in his heart, Ash yelled,"PIKACHU, RUN IN AND USE YOUR ELECTROLYSIS!!!"   
The yellow mouse quickly latched onto Niversa and commenced his countdown.   
"PI...."   
"KA...."   
"CCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 

Pikachu's super-concentrated electric attack ripped through Niversa, short-circuiting the massive pokemon's inner cybernetic augments and embedded neural microchips, the very ones Team Rocket was notorious for. Unknown to Ash, Giovanni had subdued the creature's will using his twisted technologies. Niversa didn't obey Giovanni out of any love for him, and soon, Giovanni would pay the ultimate price for perverting nature. Unlatching its claws off Niversa, Pikachu jumped back, with Satoshi forming another barrier, guarding his friends. Suddenly the monster roared a horrendous roar. It twitched and glowed a little, walking in Ash's direction. Satoshi mysteriously lowered his shield and telepathically communicated to Ash and Pikachu.   
"Great strategy, you two!!! You destroyed the mind control chips embedded in Niversa!!!"   
"You mean?" Ash implied.   
"Yes, it's no longer under Giovanni's control!!!"   
Coming up in front of Ash, Niversa spoke, "Thank you. I am in your debt. Do you have a request?"   
Ash, looking at the defeated Giovanni, still in shock that his fearsome weapon was freed from his grasp, "None, but you're free to do whatever you wish with your former master...and this building..."   
"With pleasure. Farewell, Ash. Farewell...Master of Ages."   
Niversa quickly turned around and faced a scared Giovanni, who was starting to back away. Ash grabbed Pikachu, recalled Watchdawg, and ran out the convention hall, not wanting to ponder whatever horrendous fate Giovanni had in store. For Ash, it didn't matter. In his mind, he may've won the battle, but it meant little, for Misty was in danger, and if anything happened to her, the war against the dark forces of Red would be lost.   
Ash finally caught up with his friends and made the getaway towards Mt. Silver. As they left Viridian City, they looked back, seeing the lumbering 60-story skyscraper that used to be Team Rocket HQ, crumbling down little by little, into glass and dust.   
With a heroic voice, Ash yelled into the night,"Come on, you guys!!! We're gonna save Misty and make it home no matter what!!! On to Mt. Silver!!!" 

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Oops, I shoulda mentioned: **The next episode will be the last, and afterwards, I don't know what else to write. I'll probably try my hand at a humor fic. Anyways, just a message so people don't get pissed off saying I didn't warn' em. 

**THE SHOCKING CONCLUSION OF THE MASTER OF AGES SAGA!!! COMING SOON!!!**


	6. Epic VI

**Disclaimer:** Come to think of it, I'm too damn tired to do this crap, so the less I write, the better. I don't own the goddamn thing. Period. 

**Author's Blab:** Welcome to the shocking, extra-long conclusion of The Master of Ages Saga!!! This one's longer because of the epilogue, so prepare yourself for a long read. In case you're one of those people who don't read in sequence, I won't even attempt to summarize what happened in the last 5 episodes. It's too goddamn much!!! Read them, damn you. But I hope I did a kickass job. Now that I'm done, read on, and when you're finished, I'd appreciate your opinions in the review box at the very bottom of this page. Who knows, if I get enough reviews, it might inspire me to make a sequel. Oh, and a warning about the ending, which might be a little surprising and controversial. Thanx for reading!!! 

**CHAPTER 21: EYE OF THE STORM**

"Good. Red still hasn't arrived."   
Near Mt. Silver, our heroes reunited, with the tragic exception of Misty, who was in the hands of the dark entity, Red. Everyone stood before the valley leading to the infamous Silver Cave, filled with terrifyingly powerful and dangerous wild pokemon. It was the perfect natural defense for the stronghold base that stood atop the massive mountain. Ash, Brock, Duplica, Jesse, James, Professor Oak, and Kid, surveyed the area. Kid stood at the edge of a small cliff on one side of the valley. She had led them there, and wanted to talk to everyone and make perfectly clear what was going on.   
Ash asked her respectfully, "Kid, whatever you have to say, do so fast! I want to rescue Misty. Even if I do get back to my timeline, it means nothing if I don't save her!"   
The wind had blown an ominous wind as Kid turned towards the small band and started talking, "All of you listen and listen well. The enemy we're facing is one of powers far greater than any which you have known. I've battled him once before, and he defeated me without effort. Since then I've grown in power, but I still can't match his magnitude."   
Ash interjected, "Kid, who are you?"   
"I'm from the same mirror dimension as Red As to who I am...You tell me, Ash."   
"Huh?"   
"Look into my eyes, Ash. Look at my face. Don't you know who I am?"   
He came up to her and looked at her, taking in every detail and glint. She looked back blankly, awaiting Ash's answer. Ignoring her black hair, piece by piece, all the details came into place, her rosy face, her perfect nose, her delicate lips, and most of all, her glimmering azure eyes.   
"You...remind me of...M..Misty?"   
"Yes. Yes!!! I am the Misty from his dimension."   
Every last one of our heroes facefaulted and stared in shock at the recent revelation of Kid's words.   
"I gained emotions and feelings just like him. I eventually became tired of saying "TM11 teaches Bubblebeam" all the time, and out of that, I became infused with a soul. Over time, Red became the ultimate champion, and I became his secret love. Love was forbidden in our world, and was kept private, even among our kind. Red came to this world with me, the both of us hoping we could live in freedom, but somehow, his soul became corrupted in the dimensional warp. I don't want him dead, and I don't want you to lose your Misty. We have to find a way to save both of them, Ash, before they wreak havoc on the world!"   
Professor Oak interjected, "This is all too much for an old man. But I'm in!"   
Brock and Duplica looked at each other and held hands, "We're in this...together. No matter what!"   
Jesse, holding back years of selfish pride, yelled, "What're we waiting for?! Let's do it before I have second thoughts!"   
James, happy to see a glimmer of the old Jesse back, shouted, "You heard her!!! Let's do this!!!"   
Satoshi jumped out of his pokeball and stood before Ash, "Ash, Chronine didn't just bring you here with just the purpose of saving your own existence. Him, being the guardian of time, anticipated the catastrophe of Red's arrival, and picked you out of all of human history to confront him in battle. Only you, with the help of your friends, can stop him. Only you as the Master of Ages can stop him. Lead us with your courage, Ash!"   
Ash looked towards the stronghold base, "Well, what're we waiting for!!!"   
"PIKA!!!"   
Everyone huddled as Ash laid out the plan, "Kid, you're able to sense Red's mind. What's he up to?"   
"I've known his plans for a while. He plans on eradicating all life from this world by unleashing the power of the Wind Father and the Water Mother."   
"The who?" Ash asked. 

Professor Oak quickly answered, "Ancient pokemon gods, responsible for the creation of all pokemonkind. Legend had it, their physical union cleansed the earth of angels and demons alike, making it possible for the first people and pokemon to exist. If Red does what he intends on doing with Misty, he might end humanity and pokemonkind altogether, if the legend holds true..."   
Kid chimed in, "Ash, pay attention. This is where it gets complex. Misty is being used as the body for the Water Mother. She has a physical form in this world, but Red doesn't, the same as I. I'm an illusion as well. In order for Red to become the Wind Father and unite in body with Misty, he needs to take a physical form. Red needs to inhabit a young body, one similar to his essence."   
Jesse joined in the conversation, "Ash...no. Your younger version is in that base."   
Kid chimed,"Exactly! Red's heading this way to possess younger Ash. We have no time to waste!"   
"Right, guys!!! We have to divide up into teams. Professor Oak can get direct clearance from Gary inside. Jesse and James can go with him. Brock and Duplica, we'll have to sneak in somehow. Kid, if you have the same powers as Red, then I'll have to ask you a favor. You have to go inside, find and guard my body from Red."   
Kid protested, "Ash, no!!! Alone I don't stand a chance against him and his Dark Pikachu!!!"   
"Maybe, but you can stall him at least. The more time we have, the better. Right?"   
"You're right, Ash. I'll leave now," Kid said as she phased into darkness and headed into the Silver Base.   
Everyone looked on as Ash took charge of the situation, "Like I was saying, Jesse, James and Professor Oak can get in through the front since you can get clearance. Once you guys get in, find your way to the time machine and that tank that was holding my younger self and Pikachu prisoner. Get ready to release them and start up the time machine. Make sure to send them back the night I was supposed to start my journey. Got it?"   
James said, "We can do that, but how are you guys gonna get in?"   
"That's a good question," Duplica shrugged.   
Jesse, familiar with the base suggested, "The only way you can sneak in, if I remember correctly, is inside Silver Cave. You can scale up the waterfall leading into the underbelly of the base, where the time machine is at. But it's impossible to get past the wild pokemon!"   
Ash looked at the nearby cave, "Hmm, I guess we have no choice. Me, Brock, and Duplica will go through Silver Cave. We'll meet you inside, and if Red and Misty get there before we do, help Kid in fighting him and make sure he doesn't possess my younger body. Enough talk. Let's go!!!"   
"Good luck!!!" James said as he ran with Jesse and Professor Oak into their sports car, while Brock called Steelix and motioned Ash and Duplica to get on for the ride. The car screeched its wheels on the pavement and headed for the lab, while Steelix slithered down the valley headed for Silver Cave. Brock made a wise choice, for Steelix was intimidating enough to keep wild pokemon from attacking the party. It kept slithering, going into the dank cave, with nothing visible, except for a stream of light shining from the distant ceiling. It seemed like the opening that Jesse mentioned, but now what?   
"Pikachu, light this cave up with your Flash!!!"   
"Chu!" the small yellow mouse as it glowed electricity from its cheeks. The horrid cave lit up, and much to their fright, Steelix was surrounded by all sides by menacing wild pokemon. Ursarings, Golducks, Misdreavus, Larvitars, all of extremely high levels. They were attracted to the powerful glimmer of radiation coming from Pikachu's cheeks. Ash, Brock and Duplica shivered and were in absolute fear for their lives.   
"Maybe Flash wasn't such a good idea..." Ash said. 

"Who's there?!" Gary's voice barked from the gate intercom.   
"Don't yell at me, you twink! It's me!"   
"Me who?"   
"GRRR...Jesse from Team Rocket. I'm here to check on little Ash and his Pikachu!"   
"Strange. I didn't get a call from Giovanni..."   
James fumed, "We're here on official Team Rocket business. We fund you, so don't you dare question our authority to have a surprise inspection!"   
"Hmm...I don't know."   
Professor Oak, seeing his grandson acting pompous, added his authority as well, "Gary, it's your grandfather. I'm here with them too."   
"Gramps, what're you doing here?"   
"You still owe me my prized Poliwag paddle-style golf clubs. It's your fault I didn't compete in the PGA this year, and now I'm reclaiming what's mine. I ran into these two on the way. Now, are you letting us in, or do we have to talk to May?!"   
Gary shuddered at the mention of his vindictive sister's name, and quickly opened the electronic gate, "Alright!!! Alright!!! Come in, sheesh!!!"   
The three walked into the massive lab. Jesse walked ahead, while James followed quickly after her, but Professor Oak was stopped and reverently greeted by an employee from the pokegenics lab.   
"Great to finally meet you, Professor Oak!!! My name's Tracey!!! I don't know if you're aware of this, but I'm dating your granddaughter, May. We just heard you through the intercom. I believe you want to know the progress of her experiments on time travel. She's testing out the machine just as we speak!!! Wanna see!!!"   
"Actually, yes...uhh..."   
"Great!!! Right this way!!!" Tracey cheered as he pulled Professor Oak towards the elevator.   
"Rather enthusiastic young fellow," Oak thought as he was pulled. 

Ash and friends shuddered in fright as the numerous monstrous pokemon snarled and advanced slowly towards them. Duplica huddled into Brock, while he held her tightly and snugly, protective of his newfound love. Pausing and thinking for a moment, Ash wanted to avoid confrontation and whispered to Satoshi in the air.   
"Satoshi, come out now. I would throw your pokeball, but I don't want to provoke these pokemon."   
In a flash of ether, Satoshi materialized out of his pokeball and hovered above all of them. The wild pokemon quickly focused their attention to the floating dog, and quickly changed their faces from ones of anger to to ones of curiosity.   
"Satoshi, tell them about our situation. Maybe you can convince them to stay away," Ash said.   
"I'll do better than that. Woof. Woooof..Watch...Woof...Dawg."   
With those yelps and barks, the wild pokemon reacted violently. Ash and friends shivered even more and held onto Steelix firmly.   
Satoshi said, "Don't be afraid. I've convinced them to help us!!!"   
"What?"   
Much to their surprise, the wild pokemon quickly walked in lockstep to a nearby lake. Steelix followed them and was quickly recalled back. The three heroes were quickly grabbed by Golducks and led to the edge. Surprisingly, the Golducks got in the water and pointed to their back with their webbed feet.   
"Get on!" Satoshi barked, "They're taking us up the waterfall leading to the lab."   
"ALRIGHT!!!" they yelled simultaneously as each of them grasped onto a Golduck, with Pikachu and Satoshi clasping onto Ash's backpack. In an instant, they sped up the lake and, in an exhilarating flurry of water, scaled the cascading torrent of the waterfall. Saturated, they landed smoothly onto the edge of another small pond. Shaking off the water, they climbed off the Golducks back, while they bid their farewells and ran off into the darkness. Ash opened his eyes and instantly glimpsed above himself.   
"We're here, you guys! Brock, call your Steelix again and make a staircase!"   
"You got it, Ash."   
While Brock ran to the ceiling opening to make a staircase with Steelix, Duplica poked Ash's shoulder.   
"Ash, I don't have enough time to talk to you in length, but now that you'll be leaving, I need you to do me a favor. Please..."   
"Yeah, anything you want, Duplica," Ash said in a low tone.   
Duplica pulled out something from one of her pockets. It was a shiny, rose-colored envelope, with a small heart sticker holding it closed, "Ash...when Satoshi let me see into your mind, I saw the one time I was with you guys. I loved the fact that Ditto learned to fully transform, and that I kept the Imite House in your timeline, but...Brock wasn't in my life, and I swore to myself long ago that I would do whatever it would take to keep him in my life, no matter what. Please, take this with you when you go back to your timeline. Give it to the younger Brock. Tell him I love him. Please."   
Ash looked at her sadly, seeing the immense pang of sorrow in her eyes, "Duplica, you're one of the bravest people I know. You helped me, even if it meant jeopardizing your relationship with Brock. I'll always remember you for that, and I'll be sure to send your love to him."   
With those words, he took her letter, putting it into his jacket.   
"Come on, you guys! What're you waiting for!!!" Brock yelled, already having scaled Steelix.   
"Let's go!!!" Ash said, motioning to a happy Duplica, her smile reminding him of his own love. 

"Grampa! You're here!" May said, hugging her grandfather, while Jesse stood in front of the time machine, quickly programming the machine, setting the location for Pallet Town, 1 Pallet Drive, and punching in the day when Ash started his pokemon journey, with the time designated for 3AM. The kid was still asleep when Giovanni's grunts took him and brought him here, she thought, and it only be fitting he be put back into the bed from when he was kidnapped. And for Pikachu, they would have to sneak him and his pokeball back to Oak's lab. But how?   
Gary quickly took notice of Jesse and yelled, "Hey, what're ya doing?!"   
"I'm sending that kid and his Pikachu back to where they belong."   
"But Mr. Giovanni said...?!"   
"Giovanni's dead kid, and so is his crazy plan to take over human history!" James chimed in.   
May stopped hugging her grandpa, "What are you doing? Hey, we were hired to take Ash as a time specimen. We can't send him back! We can't..."   
"Is that all that I am to you, May? Just a specimen. I thought I meant more to you than that." Ash said, with his friends joining him, "Kid, you can come out now. We're here!"   
She quickly materialized from the darkness, "I was wondering what took you. Come on, we should hurry. I feel Red's presence along with Misty's. They're in the building!"   
"I'm done. The wormhole is opening, Ash," Jesse said, "Crack that stasis cell open, grab your younger self and Pikachu and let's get going!"   
"Right," Ash said as he ran with Brock and Duplica toward the stasis cell. He was about to command Pikachu to use Stonecutter, until a strange, blue mist came out and struck him nastily, sending him back.   
"Hi, lover...long time no see..." 

**CHAPTER 22: APOCALYPTA**

Pikachu, Brock, and Duplica ran worriedly towards Ash, who was picking himself up, keeping an eye on his assailant. The blue mist quickly moved before him, slowly morphing into the mirage of a mystical being. She was perfectly blue, even her face was icy. The girl wore draping, priestess-like dress, suggestive of a water nymph, with an extremely exposed cleavage draped in transparent cloths. Her eyes opened, piercing into Ash's gaze.   
"No...Misty!!! It's me, Ash!!!"   
Without warning, a black mist quickly formed next to her. Red's familiar form materialized with celerity, and quickly joined the levitating goddess, standing in front of the stasis cell, which held the kidnapped, younger Ash and the younger Pikachu.   
"HAHAHAHAAAA!!! She answers not to that name anymore, father. Address her now as the Water Mother, your new queen, and my delicious mate!!!"   
"Red, No!!! Stop your madness!!!" Kid called out, catching his attention, "Why are you doing this? You know in your heart of hearts you don't want this!!! I know you lost your title as leader of our world, but destroying another world just to become king and leader of it won't bring your title back."   
Red hesitated and stood in fear and talked to Kid, "M..Misty, I...I wish....things would be the way they used to be, but darkness has enveloped my soul. I lost and I can't bear the shame of going back to our world."   
Kid answered back, "Red, I loved you, not because of your title, but because you had real love in your heart, for me and our pokemon. Please come back with me...We can share our love on the Cerulean Cape like old times" She teleported to Red, grabbing his hand with pleading eyes. Red looked into her eyes as everyone in the room stood in suspense.   
Red, all of a sudden, twitched and said several contradictory things, as if his soul was possessed,"NNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Kid save me!!! It's taken over me!!! GRRRRRRR!!!! You'll never get him back, water tramp!!! You'll have to defeat me!!!"   
Ash's attention was cut when Satoshi quickly telepathically talked to him, "Red is possessed by darkness. Quick, while he's distracted, command Pikachu to crack the stasis cell open!!!"   
"Pikachu, crack the stasis cell with Stonecutter!!!"   
"KAAAACCCHUUUUUUUUU!!!!"   
Both Misty the Water Mother, Kid, and Red were taken by surprise as Pikachu ripped open the stasis cell. Brock and Duplica quickly ran to grab younger Ash and Pikachu, but the possessed Misty quickly blew them away with a magical, icy gust. Red was still struggling with the darkness in him, and Kid took the opportunity to grab Ash and Pikachu, teleporting them in front of the time machine. Misty the Water Mother, seeing her master twitching in confusion, attempted to get to younger Ash and Pikachu back, but was stopped by older Ash.   
"MISTY NO!!!"   
"Uhh?! Get outta my way, you disgusting liar!!!"   
"Liar?! Don't you remember, Misty?! It's me, Ash!!! You're not a Water Mother!!! Red's using you to take over the world and kill all life on the planet!!! Please snap out of it!!!"   
"You're lying!!! Red loves me enough to stay with me!!! You just want to go back to your timeline and forget all about me!!!" possessed Misty cried, her tears forming into droplets of ice as they slid down her face.   
"Misty..." 

A cautious Brock and Duplica ran to Kid, each grabbing the sleeping younger manifestations of Ash and Pikachu, and running towards the wormhole.   
"Come on, you guys. Get in there!!!" Jesse yelled, "Duplica, put little Ash back on his bed and take this pokeball and recall little Pikachu back in it and wait for us. We'll be joining you soon."   
Those words the last thing they heard, Brock and Duplica quickly ran into the wormhole, the echos of Red yelling and Ash pleading with the possessed Misty reverberating in their heads as they sped backwards into the darkness of space-time. Briefly disoriented, they found themselves on a carpeted floor, both slowly opening their eyes in the room that they found themselves in. It was a small room, with tons of adorable pokemon dolls and toys. Both of them smiled as they saw they were in the right place. 1 Pallet Drive. Pallet Town, 3AM, on the very morning the day Ash started his journey.   
"We're here,"Brock let out gently, careful not to wake the slumbering Ash on his back.   
"I hope everyone's okay back in our time," Duplica whispered while grabbing the pokeball Jesse gave her and recalled the sleeping Pikachu, "Brock, put Ash back into his bed! Careful!"   
"Umm, which one, Duplica?! There's a bunk bed here!"   
"Well, I'm guessing the one that looks like it's been slept in. Use common sense, Brock!"   
"Right, Brock said as he climbed up the small stairs and put little Ash on the top bunk, pulling the covers on him, and careful not to shake too much as he climbed down.   
"Duplica, what about Pikachu? Isn't he supposed to be picked up by Ash tomorrow?"   
Keeping that in mind, Duplica quietly opened the room's window and slipped her sultry body through, gaining Brock's attention, "Duplica, where're you going?"   
"I remember where Oak's lab is. I can sneak in and put Pikachu where he belongs."   
"But how would you know where to put him?! That place is huge!"   
"I'll figure it out. I'll be back," Duplica whispered as she kissed him and scaled down Ash's house and ran off into the dark roads of Pallet, with Pikachu's pokeball in hand, running in the direction of Oak's lab.   
"Good luck," Brock whispered, seeing her off into the night. 

"Gary, May, whatever you've done under Giovanni's employ has wreaked havoc in the history of the world!!! I thought you were raised better than that!!! I demand as your grandfather for the both of you to destroy the research you've done on time travel. And Tracey, if you want to get on my good side, you help them or else!!!"   
May protested, "But Grampa!!!"   
"DO IT!!!" Professor Oak roared.   
With thundering words of authority, the elder Oak intimidated all of them into rushing into their archives, and the three of them quickly ransacked their files and threw them into a nearby shredder. Oak hid behind a corner, watching the faceoff between Ash, Misty, Red, and Kid. Jesse and James readied themselves in case they were about to be attacked. Suddenly the two of them were knocked down by a strange force. The mysterious creature pounced in front of them, in full view of the ex-Rocket execs. Pikachu quickly took notice and sped its way to their protection, seeing Ash was still busy pleading with the possessed Misty.   
"MEOWTH?!"   
The salivating, Persian stood in front of his old friends now turned enemies. Gazing upon them with the most dreadful glare, Persian got back on it hind legs and spoke, "If it were only so simple to turn back the clock of time and relive the past, James. And Jesse, why try to redeem yourself now? Your heart is hopeless. And as for you, Pikachu, prepare to breathe your final breath. Taste your last drops of life, rat. HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!"   
Ash and Kid turned their eyes toward the maniacal laugther coming from Persian-Meowth. Red and Misty were strangely comforted by the evil bellow and regained their evil essences. Oak stood back in horror as Persian-Meowth started glowing brightly. Its form started changing, and slowly it morphed in front of their eyes. Misty and Red made an evil smile as they welcomed their new ally.   
"SIAM!!! Si...Siam...." roared what used to be Persian-Meowth. Everyone stared in utter disbelief, while the brand new evolution stood before them, "Heheheheeh...hahahahaha!!!"   
Red snarled in arrogance, "Well now, I guess our imminent battle has just gotten interesting. Hah!" With those words, Red and Misty phased into shadows and sped into the swirling wormhole, with Siam following.   
"PIKACHU, FOLLOW THEM!!! DON'T LET HIM GET TO MY BODY!!!" Ash yelled as he and Kid jumped in chase into the wormhole.   
"Jesse, do something!!! You can't let that thing get to little Ash!" James said, barely standing on his feet.   
"I got it! James, push those two yellow buttons on the left quickly!!!" Jesse said, still on the ground.   
James desperately took a few weak steps and before collapsing hard on the floor, pressed the buttons.   
"What did I just do, Jess?!" 

"Finally, I see the end of this wormhole, and my new body!!!" Red boasted as he sped toward the end of the wormhole, seeing an enlarged image of Ash's room in Pallet. Younger Ash slumbered away peaceably in his bed, dreaming of which pokemon he was going to choose tomorrow, completely unaware of the monumental danger that was coming toward him. But he was quite safe. Little did Red know he was in for a surprise. Red's gaseous essence slammed hard against the end of the wormhole, unable to cross into the Ash's bedroom.   
"GRRRR!!! WHAT'S THIS??!!" Red growled as he pounded incessantly against the transparent wormhole exit. Misty the Water Mother quickly stopped in front of her master, "What's wrong, my lord?!"   
"WE CAN'T GO THROUGH!!! GRRRR!!!!!" 

"You froze the slipstream in wormhole, James. It's a failsafe device May installed to study particle movement. Nothing can get in or out. But now it's up to Ash and his friends to defeat those weirdos...and all we can do is watch on the monitor."   
"And cheer them on. This'll be fun!" James smiled, his old silly persona coming through again.   
"RIGHT!!!" Jesse smiled, remembering how much she enjoyed James playfulness.   
They grabbed a nearby monitor used to check in on wormhole activity, seeing Ash and friends finally arriving at the end of the wormhole, with Red, Misty, and Siam attempting to break through. Professor Oak quickly ran to the two and kneeled down, curious as to what they were looking at so intently.   
"Come on, Ash! Show 'em whatcha got!!!" Jesse and James cheered, while Oak gave them a weird look.   
"You two certainly are cheerful under such dire circumstances..." Oak said with a big sweatdrop.   
"That's our job!" Jesse and James said simultaneously with glee. 

"Hey!!! Stay away from my body!!!" Ash yelled as he raced across the twilight environment of the slipstream. Strange dark colors swirled around them, as Ash, Kid, and Pikachu approached Red, Misty, and Siam, slowly turning their wicked gazes at them.   
"Water Mother!!! Whoever or whatever you are, let Misty's body go!!! I love her and I want her back!!!"   
"Red, if you want a fight, I'll give you a fight!!! Love or no love!!!"   
"Pi-pika pika kapi chu kapi!!! (Stay away from my master, or you'll have to answer to me!!!)" 

Their three adversaries levitated toward them, finally landing directly in front of them.   
"You'll pay for breaking my heart, Ash. Your crimes against the younger and older Misty will not go unpunished. I am the Water Mother, redeemer of all who have been scorned. Prepare to battle!!!"   
"I've beaten you before back in our dimension, and have controlled your heart, even making you shirk your gym duties for what you believed was our love. Now, taste my steel, water wench!!! Call out your pokemon!!!"   
"Little rat...how you cling to your pathetic trainer. I pity you. But no matter. Prepare yourself now, rat, as I shall teach you the true pain of friendship!!! Your little flesh shall adorn my newly evolved claws!!! ROAR!!!" 

The heavy winds of the slipstream blew across them all, each pondering their next move. Ash grabbed Satoshi's pokeball and threw it onto the dark floor, unleashing the small Watchdawg before him. They linked minds and quickly assessed their situation.   
"Satoshi, Misty's possessed by the Water Mother, and wants to fight me, and I though it best to call you! How do we save her?"   
"I don't know how to break this to you, Ash, but she's right about your crimes."   
"Huh?"   
"Think about it. All the time you spent with the younger Misty, all the fighting, all the name-calling, all the secrecy. Have you ever stopped to think about what it all meant? You may be a grown-up now, but you're still thinking like a kid. Think deep and hard, Ash. Understand what she means...and then you hold the key to saving her."   
"Go Jynx!!!" Kid said as she threw her pokeball, "Red, no matter what, you'll alway be the little boy I knew who defeated me so long ago. The one I fell in love with when I grew up. Whoever you are that stole his heart, face me now!!!   
Red calmed down like a child, "No!!! We can't go back to the way things were. WE CAN'T!!!"   
Pikachu, charged his electric sacs, as he and Siam, formerly known as Persian-Meowth, circled like dueling fencers, staring each other down, their minds sharper than freshly cut razor blades. Ash and Watchdawg stood before Misty, who was gathering strong energies in her hands, summoning a fierce attack ready to be unleashed. And Red held out his hand, and little by little, two long ears started morphing out of his arms. It morphed slowly, until the mass jumped out before him and opened its glowing red eyes.   
"Chu..." it said.   
Kid trembled in fear as she uttered the monster's fearsome name, "Dark Pikachu...No..."   
"HAHAHAHAHAHHAHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" 

**CHAPTER 23: BATTLE OF TIME**

The slipstream howled its haunting winds as our heroes faced off against their dark adversaries.   
Without warning, Misty shot out a powerful, chilling breeze of ice, "Powder Snow!!!"   
Ash was taken totally by surprise, but Satoshi quickly formed his Aura defense, blocking her powerful ice magic, "Huh?!!! How did she do that?!!!...!!!!"   
Satoshi quickly answered, "Ash be careful! The Water Mother doesn't need pokemon to battle. She is what blessed pokemon with their magical abilities. She knows all forms of water and ice attacks and can summon them at will!!!"   
"Then we have to fight her!!! Satoshi, use Howl Attack!!! But please try not to hurt Misty!!!"   
"HOOWWWLLLL!!!" 

Red, gloating at seeing Ash heartbroken in his fight against the Water Mother, focused his attention towards the Misty from his dimension, and called his attack, "Dark Pikachu, cripple her Jynx with Body Slam!!!"   
Kid reacted, "Jynx, use Ice Shield!!!"   
Dark Pikachu darted and used its Body Slam, surprisingly cracking through the Ice Shield, ramming hard into Kid's Jynx, sending it reeling back in pain, "Jynx, quickly before its too late, Ice Punch!!!"   
Jynx thrust her fist into an icy ball and rocked a slowed Dark Pikachu on the chin, knocking it on a critical spot, flying into the air and falling in front of Red, though surprisingly Dark Pikachu got up and prepared for another attack.   
"Impressive, Misty. You've gotten better than the last time we fought in our video game world. But your efforts are futile to say the least. Pikachu, summon your Dark Energy. Recover!!!" Causing shock and chill in Kid's heart, Pikachu regained whatever HP it lost and struck back into its fighting pose.   
Kid gasped while Red kept laughing, "Whatsamatter, Misty? Shocked?! Not by a longshot! HAHAAHAAA!!!!" 

Siam unleashed a stringy ball from its mouth, shooting it at Pikachu, "Hairball Attack!!!" The shining ball headed toward Pikachu, while Pikachu summoned its Agility and easily dodged the explosive ball. But with unprecedented speed, Siam quickly appeared next to a surprised Pikachu and rammed his knee hard into Pikachu's gut, sending it flying back in piercing pain. Pikachu landed on its little feet, as a little blood trickled from its mouth. In its mind and heart, he wanted the command of his trainer, but he saw he was busy trying to save Misty from the twisted wiles of the Water Mother.   
"Aww, the little rat yearns for his master! Soon you'll be dead, with your master at your side!!!"   
Pikachu, seething with fiery rage, turned back his gaze to Siam, boiling with anger, the courage building up in his little soul. He couldn't take the threat on his master's life lightly. Taking Siam, completely by surprise, Pikachu vanished into thin air, moving close to the speed of sound. The surprised Siam was quickly torn on the chin by Pikachu, who had used its miniscule body like a hard fist, Body Slamming straight into Siam's jaw, cracking a bit of the jawbone, sending Siam flying on its back. It quickly jumped back on its feet, licking the blood from it lips and feeling the giant pain from its cracked jaw.   
"GRRRRR!!!! WHY YOU WORTHLESS RAT!!! I'LL GRIND YOUR BONES!!!!"   
"PIKAPI-CHU-CHU-KAPI-KAPI-CHUCHU-PI!!! (THE MORE YOU THREATEN MY MASTER, THE MORE BONES I CRACK!!!) 

The Water Mother, still holding Misty's body hostage, was blocking Satoshi's Howl Attack with Acid Armor. A thin veil of poisonous liquid held back the sound waves Satoshi was unleashing. This gave Ash time to think about what Satoshi meant about his crimes and how they might hold the key to victory and bring Misty back. The memory of when he first met Misty came back into his mind. It flooded into his mind like no other. In an instant, he remembered his wet face when he was fished out of the water by Misty, their first fight in the pokemon center, and their quibbles over her bike. It snapped into his mind like a lightbulb.   
"The bike!!! That's it!!! Satoshi, can you link my mind with Misty's?"   
"Wooof!!!"   
"Huh? AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
In a flash, the Water Mother shrieked in pain as Satoshi used its mystic abilities to cram Ash's astral projection into Misty's brain, already inhabited by the Water Mother. Ash's body fell to the ground along with Misty's, while Kid and Pikachu noticed, but were reassured by the Satoshi, "They're okay, you two!!! Focus on your battles!!!" 

Kid's Jynx was too exhausted, sweating profusely while Red's Dark Pikachu still brimmed with powerful electric and dark energies, readying itself for its final attack, "Pikachu, use our specialty finishing move, nice and sweet. Soul Bolt!!!" The smoky evil-looking Pikachu instantly shot a gigantic, bright, purplish bolt, smashing loud into Jynx, fainting it instantaneously, while Kid recalled it and snatched another pokeball from her waist.   
"Go, Quagsire!!!"   
Her pokemon materialized before her, and her pick couldn't been any better. Quagsire was both a water and ground pokemon, immune to electric attacks. She had in her hands a powerful pokemon, strong on attack and defense, and an even match against Red's Dark Pikachu.   
"Impressive, Misty. You've grown in power since we last frolicked on Cerulean Cape in our dimension. Yet you're more suited to your romantic daydreams than for pokemon battles!!! Hah!!!"   
"No matter how much you insult me, I know in my heart the real Red would never say such things. He loved me, and respected me as a powerful trainer. Whoever you are, I'll release Red from your grasp, even if it means my death!!! Quagsire, Slam Attack!!!"   
"Pikachu, show this girl how dead her love is. Black Fist attack!!!"   
Quagsire attempted to use its tail to Slam Dark Pikachu, but it proved too fast for it, and rammed his little clenched paw in its Black Fist attack. Though Quagsire was hit, its defenses were rather high, and quickly retaliated with it Slam, knocking Dark Pikachu away while it recovered from the attack. Dark Pikachu fell back and readied itself for another command from his wicked master. 

Siam unleashed one of its most powerful attacks, Fury Slasher. Unsheathing its razor-thin claws, it quickly ripped away and launched at Pikachu. The little mouse, reminded of its previous battle with Persian-Meowth devised a plan, taking a cue from his master, already a proven tactician. It dodged Siam's attack continuously, but near the very end, let one of Siam's claw tear a cut on its shoulder. Pikachu made a fake wince in pain, and slowed down in anticipation of Siam's next attack. Like Pikachu predicted, Siam tackled him furiously and knocked him down. Bracing himself, Pikachu played possum, anticipating Siam's next move.   
The monstrous cat pokemon grabbed Pikachu with its mouth, ready to mangle the seemingly limp Pikachu as it had done before in their last fight. Murmuring with the mouse in its mouth in arrogance and conceit, Siam purred, "Any last words, rat!!!"   
"Pika...(Fry....)"   
"KAAAAACHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
His pride became his downfall, for Siam held death in his mouth, for Pikachu summoned and unleashed the very attack Satoshi had taught him the night they arrived in this alternate future, Electrolysis. The streams of electricity coarsed through Siam's cells, ripping through every atom possible. Time stood still for Pikachu as Siam's jaw unhinged slowly, releasing him from Siam's fangs. The little mouse fell on its feet tired and stood back, looking at the petrified Siam. One leg finally crumpled, then the next, and in a loud thud, Siam fell face flat on the ground, bleeding immensely from its nose and mouth.   
Pikachu stepped forward tired, facing what used to be Meowth, "Pika-chu pi (I'm sorry, Meowth.)"   
"Why...why do you apologize for victory, rat...?" Siam purred, inching ever closer to death.   
"Kapi-cha-pika-cha-pi (You're dying. I never killed before.)" Pikachu said, holding back tears.   
"Don't apologize. You fought well...and one of us had to die. I was once in the company of friends who loved me...but I took them for granted...and look at how I turned out. I... know of your time displacement. I was a part of it with Jesse. Promise me....Pi...Pikachu...promise me you'll keep us from becoming...what we.. became...in this...world."   
With those words, Meowth reached out his paw, sheathing back its claws. Pikachu reached for it grasping on a toe. With his hand, he felt Meowth's pulse die down slowly, until he felt nothing. He held Meowth's paw firmly, remembering the Meowth he used to know, wetting his paw with his tears...alone. 

"I'm back!" Duplica said, fumbling back into the window, "It was easy to put Pikachu back. The lab's pokeball handler was easy to find."   
"I can't even put my hand through, Duplica!!!" Brock said, punching his gloved fist on the surface of the wormhole, "While you were gone, the wormhole froze somehow. How are we gonna get back???!!!"   
"Be quiet. Don't raise your voice like that!" Duplica whispered while pointing her index finger in Ash's direction. The little kid was squirming in his bed, and startled them when he started talking in his sleep, "Raising...Bulbasaur...That'd be really...simple...It's perfect...for beginners..." Brock and Duplica sweatdropped and kept in absolute silence while little Ash continued babbling in his sleep.   
"Is this supposed to happen?!" Brock whispered to Duplica.   
"Shhhhh!!!"   
Little Ash nudged his head against the shelf above his head, causing his pokeball-shaped alarm clock to slip into his hand. He sat up in his sleep, "Choose it or lose it!...ahh..." The little alarm clock fell down on the floor, breaking on impact.   
"Umm, is this supposed to happen, Brock? Won't he be late for his pokemon journey if his alarm broke?"   
"Aw, man. Now what?!" 

"Huh?"Ash's consciousness awoke, inside Misty's mind. Strangely enough, he noticed he was in his old clothes and had reverted back to his old age, except his league cap was still missing. Everything seemed hazy and heavily foggy. He got up on his feet and started walking, intruding upon a path in what seemed like a heavy forest leading somewhere. Pushing his way past a thick brush, he found himself in front of what seemed like a river, covered in mist. But there was something more. His attention was quickly drawn by someone fishing closeby.   
"It can't be....Misty?"   
He couldn't have been mistaken, for her redhead and skimpy clothing gave her away, even if her back was facing toward him. Yet the vision seemed strange, for her old red bike was there, and she was patiently awaiting a bite. It dawned on Ash what he was seeing. This was how it was before he came into her life. He quickly raced to her and called her name.   
"Misty!"   
"Huh? Who are you? Whaddya want? Can't you see I'm fishing?"   
"It's me, Ash! Don't you recognize me!"   
"I'm afraid I don't. Please leave and quit bothering me."   
Ash, wondering what to do next, grabbed Misty's bike, catching her attention.   
"Hey, what're you doing? Hey, that's my bike!!!"   
Mustering all the strength in his arms, he rolled the bike into the river, intensely angering Misty.   
"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR, YOU SLIMY LITTLE WORM???!!!" Misty said, quickly pouncing on Ash and pounding on his small frame with her fists. Ash took every hit he could take, until Misty finally drew some blood from Ash's nose and lip. A frightened Misty took notice of what she had done and withdrew herself, falling back gasping in horror of her own violence. Ash sat upright, brushing away some of the blood from his busted lip and nose. Misty quickly crept close to him, looking with concern, shedding small tears as she gently spoke.   
"Are you okay...I'm...I'm sorry...I got so angry...I don't know what came over me."   
"Don't cry. I'm sorry. It was my fault for destroying your bike. I...I just wanted your attention."   
"Why? Why did you want my attention?" Misty said, grabbing Ash's hand, covered with blood.   
"Cause...cause I...I love you." 

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"   
Ash and Misty streamed back into consciousness. Misty held her mind while she convulsed, using the power of Ash's loving words to thrust the Water Mother out of her heart. The Water Mother goddess lost her grip on Misty's body, and came out finally, being driven out like the misguided deity that she was.   
Misty lifted herself and called the only word in her heart, "Ash?"   
"Misty?!" Ash called back, his heart jumping in the highest joy. They ran to each other and hugged for what seemed like minutes, even if it was really only a few seconds, crying in each others arms. Pikachu lifted his reddened eyes in Ash's direction, seeing he was with Misty.   
"Cha!!! (Misty!!!)" Pikachu shouted as he ran towards his master, jumping into his arms and crying along with them as well.   
"Guys, I'm glad you're safe, but we don't have much time!!! Misty, here's your pokeballs. We have to help Kid!!!"   
"Kid?! The girl Rocket Kid?!" Misty shouted in surprise.   
"Yes, she's on our side! Long story, come on!" Ash said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the action, while Pikachu followed them. 

Kid's Quagsire was at a loss. It was tired out, but fortunately, Red's Dark Pikachu was out of power points for its fearsome Dark Energy recover move, having used it several times against Quagsire. Red, ever the impatient adversary, called Dark Pikachu's Black Fist once again. The shadowy mouse phased in front of Quagsire, delivering a haymaker of a hit, making it twirl around before fainting on the ground. She recalled Quagsire, seeing her last hope against Red dashed to infinitesimal bits.   
"You lose, Misty..." Red sneered in a low tone, taking small steps toward her, with Dark Pikachu following close to him, "Prepare to pay the ultimate penalty for challenging the Leader!!!"   
"HOLD IT!!!" Ash yelled, standing with his arms crossed, with Misty standing next to him, and Pikachu on his back, awaiting his master's orders, "RED, YOU'VE LOST!!! THE WATER MOTHER'S GONE, AND IF YOU WANT KID, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH US!!!"   
"THAT'S RIGHT!!!" Misty yelled.   
"PIKA!!! (BRING IT ON!!!)" 

**CHAPTER 24: MASTER'S AWAKENING**

Moaning and wincing in pain, Kid was pulled away by Misty, as Ash, Pikachu and Satoshi faced off against Red and his Dark Pikachu. They stood before each other, plotting their next move. The slipstream winds blew through Ash's wild strands, while Red turned his league cap around, much like Ash did when he was younger before he would unleash his warriors, his pokemon.   
"GO, MY DARK PIKACHU!!!"   
"PIKACHU, I CHOOSE YOU!!!"   
Misty and Kid looked on while Ash's Pikachu stood in place awaiting Red's first move.   
Red shouted, "Pikachu, use Black Fist!!!"   
"Get ready, Pikachu," Ash spoke to his yellow friend, "On my call..."   
Dark Pikachu rapidly appeared in front of Pikachu, summoning the full brunt of his Black Fist. Pikachu, instinctively dodged it.   
"Agility and Electric Tail!!!"   
Pikachu cranked up his agility and swiftly caught Dark Pikachu off guard, whipping his Electric Tail full strength on his opponent's back, swatting him on the ground. But, with the force of a monster, Dark Pikachu quickly recovered and uppercutted Pikachu, sending it flying through the air, yet Pikachu gracefully landed on his feet, though racking with pain, but awaiting Ash's next command.   
"Pikachu, Reflect!!! Shield yourself!!!" Ash yelled, while whispering to Satoshi, "Satoshi, how can we save Red? What is it that's making him so evil?"   
"Wooof. The Dark Pikachu! It is the source of Red's evil!!! You have to defeat it!!!"   
"Right!!! Pikachu, Thundershock!!!"   
His little sacs pulsed with lightning, unleashing a small bolt in Dark Pikachu's direction. It easily absorbed the small bolt, giggling sinisterly and it starting summoning an immense concentration of dark energies.   
Satoshi barked frantically, "Ash, Dark Pikachu's preparing for its ultimate attack!!! Quickly, call Pikachu back or it will certainly die!!!"   
"No, Satoshi!!! It's now or never. Pikachu, on my call!!!" Ash said, awaiting Red's command and whispering to Satoshi yet again, "Satoshi, whatever Dark Pikachu's about to throw, ready your Aura shield"   
"Woooof. Got it!!!"   
Red snickering, "Prepare to die, every last one of you!!! PIKACHU, DARK THUNDER!!!"   
Almost simultaneously, Ash, with all the courage in his soul, called out, "PIKACHU, FLASH!!!"   
Timing it perfectly, Ash's Pikachu flashed its cheeks brightly in Dark Pikachu's eyes, severely stinging its eyes with the whitening gleam. Dark Pikachu was blinded, completely unable to aim its deadly megabolt, and crying in the pain of its overloaded electric sacs.   
"PIKACHU, QUICK ATTACK NOW!!!"   
Using its alarming speed, the rodent warrior slammed hard against Dark Pikachu, making him face his master, who quickly changed from a face of conceited glee, to that of pure, astronomical terror. The tables were turned and there was no turning back.   
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"   
From the impact of Pikachu's Quick Attack, Dark Pikachu unleashed the overflowing dark energies in Red's direction. Kid watched in fright as she saw her love, Red, shocked and electrocuted by his own evil pokemon's ultimate attack.   
"GGGRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"   
"RED, NO!!!"Kid yelled, running away from Misty, towards Red, finally sliding next to him, holding up his limp body.   
"CHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Dark Pikachu, yelled, quickly losing its link with the one it had possessed. Little by little, the small dark mouse morphed into a strong gas. Misty and Pikachu ran to Ash, while the creature convulsed. With an otherworldly roar, the monster glowed into a fiery explosion, blinding everyone as they all hit the dirt, huddling together. The explosion quickly dissipated, as our heroes slowly opened their eyes. All that stood before them was a small, glimmering purple ball.   
"What's that?" Misty asked.   
"I don't know..."Ash whispered.   
"Pika? (Huh?)"   
Satoshi floated swiftly toward the little ball, "It's the dark essence that controlled Red. It's been condensed into this ball. Don't be afraid. Come Ash, Misty, Pikachu and look at this.   
Kid held Red in her arms, crying intensely, oblivious to her comrades.   
"Grab the ball, Ash. Do not be afraid. You've earned it. With your heart, bring back those who have fallen." Satoshi said to his master.   
He slowly clutched the ball, giving him an odd, tingling sensation as he touched. Kid continued crying, until she noticed the body in her arms starting to squirm slightly. She took notice, her hopes soaring like doves as Red's colorless form regained the life and love it once had.   
"M...Mmm...hi...Misty..."   
"Red, you're alive!!!"   
"Of...course I am...Where are we?! What happened?!"   
"Long story, Red, I'm...I'm just happy to see you again. I love you, Red."   
"Same here, Mist. I love you too." 

Our three heroes looked on, seeing Red kissing who they knew as Kid, passionately on the lips.   
"Ash, why...why did he just call her "Misty"?" Misty asked.   
"Remember when you said you liked me no matter what timeline I was in?"   
"Yeah...?!"   
"Well, you didn't know how right you were." 

"They did it!!! They defeated them!!!" Professor Oak cheered, but cheered alone. Jesse and James were not without sorrow, for Meowth had perished in his fight against Pikachu. They tried to understand and accept the downfall of their old friend, and knew Pikachu had no choice. But they reassured themselves that when Ash returns to his timeline, fate would reunite them with the old Meowth, the Meowth they loved so much yet lost so long ago.   
"Jess, stop crying and release the slipstream freeze so Brock and Duplica can make it back. I feel your pain too, but we'll see the old Meowth again, when we return Ash to his timeline. He'll prevent us from ever becoming what we became, and I wouldn't have it any other way."   
"Right! Wait!!! Look!!!" Jesse said, looking at the slipstream monitor. 

Pikachu tugged at Ash's leg, "Pikapi pika!!! (Ash, look!!!)   
Ash looked at what Pikachu had pointed its little claw at. The dead body of Siam was glowing, and shining. The strange dark ball Ash held in his hands, its powers reflected the heart of the trainer, and Ash's goodness was so overpowering, even life itself was returning to all who had lost it. After the glow subsided, all that was left was the small form of a Meowth, the old Meowth they once knew. Its twisted evolution was gone.   
"Pikacha!!! (Meowth's back!!!)"   
"Our old Meowth's returned!!! Come on Jess, let's go meet him!!!" James cheered. 

Smiling with magnificent joy, Jesse unfroze the slipstream and ran in, James following, while Professor Oak stayed back, seeing the loving reunions occuring on the monitor.   
"Meowth!!! Meowth!!! It's us!!!"   
"Huh? Jesse?! James?! What happened?!" Meowth spoke, a little woozy from the magic of the dark ball.   
"Oh, don't ask any questions, and promise us you'll never evolve again!!!"   
"Uhh, okay?!" little Meowth said, happy in the arms of his old partners in crime. 

Back in Ash's room in Pallet, Brock kept punching the surface of the wormhole, until he fell in, "WHOA!!!" Duplica followed him and quickly took notice of all her friends in the slipstream.   
"Guys, what happened?!"Duplica asked   
"The ultimate battle, guys. You missed it." Ash smiled.   
"Yeah, but the good guys one as you can see," Misty laughed, holding onto Ash's arm.   
"Is everything back in place?" Ash asked Duplica.   
"Yup, you're back in bed and Pikachu back in Oak's lab, but your alarm broke, and Brock was trying to fix it but wasn't able too"   
"Don't worry, Duplica. That's supposed to happen." Ash reassured her.   
"Well that's a relief. I was about leave a wakeup call on your answering machine!" Brock laughed.   
Everyone laughed in victory and started making their way out of the slipstream, but not before taking a look at the transparent end of the wormhole. Ash slumbered away in the peace of the night, wondering which pokemon he was going to pick for his pokemon journey. Little did he know his journey would mean all the difference in the world, to a small Pikachu, to a band of rogue pokemon thieves, to a girl-crazy romantic of a gym leader, and most of all, to the heart of a lost, redheaded girl. 

Back in Chronine's dimension, all the Watchdawgs rejoiced in seeing all had gone well in Ash's mission. Howls echoed throughout the hallways of the Crossroads of Time, as Chronine looked upon his mystical hourglass, seeing him and his friends rejoicing in the good of their hearts.   
"Ash is truly a hero. He's restored the history of the world back to normal and defeated the dark evils that threatened us all. Let it be told, one day he shall be known as The Master of Ages, the ultimate pokemon master. Every trainer shall revere him and follow his loving and courageous example for aeons to come. But now it is time to close this chapter of history. Now it is time for the Master to come home..." 

The ground shook. The entire world was shaking. Ash and Pikachu were returned back to the night before they started their journey together, and the timeline was forcing itself back to normal.   
"Satoshi, what's going on?!" Ash asked while everyone gasped in terror, bracing themselves in the lab.   
"Time and history are changing back. This reality is about to cease to exist. Quickly Ash and Pikachu. Say your goodbyes and send your love, for we have to leave soon." With those words, the little Watchdawg gathered all his energy, and summoned a wormhole leading back home, to his timeline. Darkness enveloped the air, while everyone stood shaking with faces of sadness, seeing their newfound friend and his Pikachu about to leave.   
"Promise us, Ash! Promise us you'll protect us from our darker tendencies! Defeat us in battle every chance you get!" James shouted with a smile.   
"Don't forget us, Ash!!! Do so and you better get ready to prepare for trouble!!!" Jesse grinned.   
"Pikachu, remember what I told you. You'll be my friend, no matter what I do!!!" Meowth yelled.   
Ash nodded his head and reassured them with his tears as the execs of Team Rocket disappeared into the darkness, as the changing timeline was slowly erasing our heroes from existence one by one. Brock and Duplica came up to Ash and hugged him.   
"Ash, even if we've known you for only a short time, you've become the best friend we've ever had. Promise us you'll help make our lives as happy in your timeline as you have in ours," Brock spoke.   
"And please Ash, keep the promise you made me,"Duplica said as she waved. Leaving those words, Brock and Duplica phased into the darkness, holding hands before they were swallowed by the nonexistence.   
Misty stood next to Ash as the others quickly phased into the darkness. Ash saw Professor Oak, his old rival Gary, his first crush May, and his brief traveling partner Tracey vanish into the darkness as well. He wanted to say goodbye as well, but he knew in his heart he would see them again, even May.   
Red and Kid ran up to Ash and Misty, thanking them for their exploits.   
"Thank you, Ash. You've taught me how love can even overpower failure. But remember, you are my father. Never forget that. I'm only a video game character. Guard the essence you hold in your hand, for it wields powers so strong, they corrupted my weak soul. Only someone of your heart can hold it."   
"Thank you...for everything," Kid said, holding Red up as they phased back into the darkness.   
"Goodbye, Ash..." was all he heard as they disappeared into the darkness of nonexistence. All that was left was Misty, still standing next to him.. Drawing upon all his courage, he grabbed Pikachu, who quickly ran to his shoulder and pounced into his backpack. The gusts of the changing timeline were coming ever closer, and Ash and Misty were alone, and didn't want to say goodbye.   
"Ash..." Misty whispered, holding back her tears, "...did you really mean what you said when you were in my mind?"   
Ash said blushingly with sadness,"...Every...every word of it..."   
"Ash...before you go, I want you to know...you've...made me the happiest girl in the world. When you go back to me, the younger me, promise me...promise you'll make her as happy as you made me. Love her like you loved me...."   
Misty quickly grabbed three pokeballs and gave them to Ash, "Give these to her and promise me you'll help her become her best, too." Misty said, breaking down into tears, "I don't wanna go..."   
"Don't cry! Please, don't cry..." Ash said, hugging her tightly, "It's hard enough saying goodbye. I don't know when I'll ever see you again..."   
"You'll see me again in 5 years...Wait for me. I'll be waiting for you."   
"I love you, Misty!"   
"I love you, Ash!"   
Those words echoing, they quickly embraced and pressed lips together in their most heartfelt kiss, one that would echo in Ash's heart for the rest of his life. Their hearts beat as one, pounding intensely in their souls. Releasing their kiss, their faces touched, while their tears mixed together. As she disappeared, she gazed into Ash' saddened eyes, slowly fazing into darkness, as Ash and Pikachu were slowly being pulled back through time, hearing a faint voice as they slipped into the darkness of time.   
"Don't forget...me..." 

**EPILOGUE: THE FAREWELL**

His body had dwindled. Whatever maturity he gained, he had lost. Slowly, his body was reverting back, the effects of the sands of time taking a toll on his and Pikachu's bodies. He fell into a deep sleep along with Pikachu. Blackness swirled in their mind, dreaming of the events that unfolded in their recent adventures.   
"Don't forget...me"   
"Don't...forget...me...."   
"I'll be waiting for you...." 

"Waaah!"   
"Ash, are you okay?!"   
His eyes opened, and slowly came back into focus. It was night, a small fire roared next to him, flickering away, reflecting off the face of the person in front of him. Gently, she came into focus. First came her sea-green eyes, then her milky-pink skin, and then came her hair, wrapped up in the old pigtail he had missed for so long, and finally, her Togepi in her arms. She was tending to him, wetting a moist cloth over his fevered head.   
"Mmm...Misty?"   
"You seem surprised..."   
"What happened?"   
"Don't you remember? You got knocked out by that explosion in that pokemon battle you had with that Super Nerd. But...we were wondering how you got into those strange clothes?"   
"Huh?" Ash murmered, looking down at his attire. What he thought may've been a dream came back to haunt him, for he was still in the same clothes Satoshi gave him on his last adventure. They fit loosely over him, for he had shrunken back to the body of a 12-year old.   
He gasped, "Where's Pikachu? And Satoshi?"   
Misty answered"Pikachu's sleeping over there, but...who's Satoshi? You're scaring me, Ash"   
"He must've returned me to the moment I left..."Ash whispered, "Where's Brock?"   
"Did I hear my name?" Brock said, coming back from the other side of the fire, "Great to have you back, Ash. Dinner's ready!"   
Ash. overjoyed to see the two, bowed his head and started breaking down into tears. Misty crept closer, putting one of her hands on his shoulder, while Brock ran close, kneeling down next to him with the concern of a brother.   
Misty spoke, "Ash, what's wrong?"   
"Yeah, Ash. We're your best friends. Tell us." Brock said, looking down.   
"A lot. It'll take all night to explain, and you probably won't believe me."   
"We trust you, Ash. Whatever you tell us, we'll take it to heart." Brock said.   
"Please, Ash. We're here for you, no matter what." Misty gently spoke. 

The night was long, and Ash grabbed Pikachu and cradled him into his arms. The fire lit his gentle face as he told the most amazing story to his longtime friends, Misty and Brock. Their faces stood in disbelief as Ash unfolded the heavy, emotionally charged details of his exploits in the alternate future. They ate, though their appetites were squelched by the tale of the terrifying journey he had just undertaken. The hours passed fleetingly, for they couldn't believe what they just heard, but found themselves wanting to believe him, for he was their friend, and the last thing Ash would do is lie to them. Pikachu awoke, seeing the faces of Misty and Brock, quickly darting away from Ash and jumping into Misty's arms. She smiled at first, but quickly turned her stare back to Ash, still in shock of what he had revealed.   
"And so that's what happened. I know it's hard to believe, but...I brought something, for the both of you. Take them, and believe me."   
Ash reached into his coat pocket, pulling out the small envelope Duplica gave to him to give to younger Brock, "Brock, take this. It was given to me by Duplica. She wanted you to have it." Brock took the envelope, quivering as he grabbed it.   
Misty looked on until Ash called her attention, "Misty...this was given to me, from the Misty in the alternate future I was in. She wanted you to have these." Misty took the pokeballs Ash was given, with a blank expression on her face, hiding her disbelief and shock. Ash got up and called Pikachu. It ran to its master, happy to see him after their dangerous quest.   
"Have time with your gifts. If you need me, I'll be taking a shower in the nearby pond. Please, try to believe me," Ash said, grabbing some fresh clothes from his backpack and pacing with Pikachu to the pond. 

"If you don't mind, Misty, I'll read whatever's in this envelope in private" Brock whispered.   
"Yeah, I'll go then. It's better if I open these pokeballs away from here. I'll be back." Misty said, quickly grabbing her red backpack and running off into a nearby grove. She kept walking rapidly, stopping to sit on a small stump, with a small stream leading to the pond where Ash was bathing. Grabbing the three pokeballs, she threw them simultaneously next to the stream, each of the revealing a pokemon. A Dratini, Broluga, and Tadwart appeared before her, with the moonlight shining on them. Because they were thrown back in time, they had devolved back. Though Broluga and Tadwart were pokemon Misty was unfamiliar with, she smiled lovingly and ran to hug them, but quickly took notice of an envelope in Tadwart's mouth.   
"What's this?!" she thought to herself as she grabbed the mail the small Tadwart held. She fumbled in opening the letter, with curiosity and fear inspiring her as she slowly read the letter inside. 

Dear Misty, 

If you're reading this, then Ash has made it back to his time safely. By now, he might've told you about all the strange adventures he had in the future, and you and Brock are probably in disbelief. Well, this is just to reassure you that what happened was for real. Be proud of him, Misty. In the short time that I've known him, he touched my heart in ways no one ever did, and I don't want to let go. But he wanted to return to you because in his heart, he wanted to see you again and live his life with you the way it was meant to be lived. The night that I'm writing this, I'm forcing him to go out on a date with me. Well, actually, he owes me a date. I'm just gonna remind him. Anyway, take care of these pokemon. Promise me you'll become the best you can be with them. 

Love,   
Misty 

PS Please...tell Ash, no matter what happens...I'll love him always. 

"It's in my handwriting," Misty thought to herself, "I wrote his five years from now..." In that letter, she saw a haunting reflection of her soul. For so long, she kept her feelings secret. She denied them for so long, her own immaturity the perfect cover. She remembered her adventures in the Orange League, when she had her small crush on the charming Danny, then when she was wooed by Rudy, and even considered staying there with him on Trovita, leaving Ash once and for all. Why didn't she? Rudy obviously cared for her and showered her with attention and affection, something the Ash she knew would never do. But why? Why did she want to be with him? Crying, she recalled all her new pokemon and followed the small stream. She had to know the answer. 

Brock opened his letter, fearful of what he was about, reluctantly glancing at first, but his attention caught quickly by some alluring photos accompanying them. 

Dear Brock, 

You must be wondering why in the world I'm sending you these sexy pics. Just a taste of what you're missing. Now that I've got your attention, I wanted to confess something. In my timeline, we were a perfect team, but from what Ash tells me, we don't end up together in your world. I just wanted to tell you that...I care deeply for you, and...if you're interested...I'll be waiting for you at the Imite House. Look me up. 

Duplica 

"Duplica...I didn't know..." Brock whispered under his breath, "She's beautiful." Brock was flattered by the pictures, but slowly, he gained in his heart an uncovered infatuation. He remembered when he first met her, saying she maybe was a bit young for him, but, little by little, his heart became attached to the idea. He crept into his sleeping bag, staring into the starry night sky, fostering memories of her deep inside.   
"Maybe I will look you up..."he said, drifting back into sleep. 

With the moonlight shining upon the pond, Ash rested in middle, his face half-submerged in the cool waters. Weary, he shrugged his shoulders back and forth, feeling the ache of his small muscles, until he heard a splash behind him, but didn't look back. The sound of water rushed toward him. He thought it was Pikachu, until he heard a whisper directly behind him.   
"Ash."   
"Huh? Misty? What're you doing here?"   
"Umm...we need to talk. There are things you haven't told me..."   
"I've told you everything. Now leave me alone, please."   
"Ash...you can't lie to me. You never told me how you convinced the older Misty to join you."   
"Like I said. I beat you in a pokemon battle and you wanted to come along. That's all."   
"What's this about a date then? One of the pokemon you gave me had this letter, and she mentioned a date. Now...tell me, what happened between you two..."   
"No...I can't tell you..."   
"Look at me, Ash! I'm your friend! Tell me!" Misty yelled, grabbing Ash and turning him around, facing her. Ash was totally taken aback, for before him, Misty was completely nude, gaining Ash's absolute attention.   
"Wahh!!! Misty, why are you naked?!"   
"Because... I wanna know the truth, and the only way I could think of getting it is for the both of us to be like this. Naked. Trust me, Ash. Face me."   
Ash started shedding tears, for he knew he couldn't hide his feelings, and swiftly swam to her, grabbing her by the shoulders while she blushed, "The truth is...I...I...we fell in love...in the future, and I'm trying to accept the fact that it's gone. I just can't. Look at me. I'm 12 again. I could understand falling in love when I was 17, but not now. Look at the two of us. Could you ever say you love me, Misty, at your age?"   
With those words, Misty started crying uncontrollably, realizing the truth of Ash's words, getting up and running away from him, grabbing her clothes and dressing up in some nearby bushes. Ash gave chase along with Pikachu, making their way back to the campsite. She sped and curled up into her sleeping bag, wetting her pillow immensely with her tears. Ash came to her, touching her shoulder, but receiving an icy shrug from Misty.   
"Go away!!! Leave me alone!!!" Misty cried and sniffled, muffled by her pillow. 

Ash quickly ran back to his own sleeping bag, and cried just as much on his own pillow, thinking of how much he cared for Misty, and finally revealing so in the pond. Their tears brought them to sleep as the night ebbed away. Pikachu was unable to sleep, feeling sad for both Ash and Misty, having fallen witness to their moment. Though racked with sadness, Ash found himself dreaming and reuniting with an old friend.   
"Ash!"   
"Huh!"   
"It's me!"   
"Satoshi!"   
It was his friend's voice, though he wasn't the small Watchdawg anymore.   
"You evolved into a Chronine!"   
"Yes! I gained enough experience points during our adventure, though you seem sad."   
"Yeah"   
"It's the girl, isn't it?"   
"Yeah, I...I don't know how to feel."   
"Ash...I wanted to thank you for helping me evolve and encouraging me to fight even when the odds seemed impossible. And I thank you with this truth. Love comes and goes, but friendship is eternal. True love grows from true friendship. You and Misty have that true friendship. Live your youth, and let it grow. I'll always remember you, Ash."   
Chronine hugged Ash and disappeared.   
"Goodbye." 

Early morning crept, the sweet sun shining its rays on the grassy horizon. Brock was the first to get up, packing his things and getting ready to tell his friends of a major decision he decided upon last night. Misty was the second to get up, remembering her painful sleep, staring at Ash longingly and sadly, her heart broken by what he said to her last night. She clutched her red backpack, quickly fixing herself up, until Brock interrupted her.   
"Misty, I needed to tell the both of you something. After yesterday, I've thought a lot about what Ash told me about Duplica. I've come to a tough decision...I want to journey back to the Imite House, and I want to leave. If you want, you guys can meet me there when you continue on your journey together."   
"I'll miss you, Brock, but we'll see each other again."   
"Please, tell him when he wakes up."   
"Yeah, goodbye Brock. Send Duplica our best," Misty said, hugging Brock as he left into the darkness of the woods. Before he left, he took a look down at the sleeping Ash, saying to him, "Thanks. Thanks for pointing me the right way. Goodbye, my friend."   
Misty saw him disappear into the woods, heading for Frontier City. They had journeyed to the outlands of Johto, and in the end, she was all alone with Ash. She ran up to a small hill closeby and sat there, looking towards the distant horizon, the rolling grassy plains leading into the unknown province of Scion. Ash wanted to journey there, but Misty quickly found herself crying again, for in her heart, she knew she had to go on her own journey as well, and follow her own path, and maybe become the pokemon master she had become in the alternate future. She sat there, awaiting for Ash to wake up and come to her, and bid her final farewell.   
Ash awoke with Pikachu, shaking their heads and cleaning themselves up. As he put on his prized league cap, they quickly took notice that they were alone and worriedly searched around, relieved to see Misty on the nearby hill, with the dawn's rays glimmering on her as she looked at the slowly rising sun. Ash hurriedly gathered his things and scrambled up the hill, making noisy, crunching footsteps as he came behind her. She closed her eyes, knowing he was behind her.   
"Misty..."   
"Ash...hi,"   
"Hi...where's Brock?"   
"He...he left."   
"Huh?"   
"He gives you his goodbye. He wanted to go back the Imite House...alone."   
"Oh...I guess he wants to see Duplica..."   
"Yeah...Ash, but he said to visit him one day."   
"That'd be great. Well, I'll miss him, but...we should go, Misty. Scion's several miles ahead, and if we're gonna get there..."   
"Ash, please stop and listen! I...I...I have to leave to. This has to be goodbye."   
Ash started shedding tears along with Pikachu, "Goodbye? But...why?"   
"I've followed you for so long...now I have to follow my own path, become the best I can be. Before I go, I just wanted to say, you...you'll never know how much you've meant to me..."   
Ash protested, "But why? Why are you? Please, don't go!"   
She got up with tears streaming down her face, holding a crying Togepi in her arms, "You're not making this easy on me! Can't you see how much I'm hurting?"   
"But I never paid you back for your bike?! I still owe you?!"   
"You...you don't owe me anymore. You paid me already...with yourself."   
Ash was choking on his own tears, wondering what to say next, until finally bowing his head, putting his hand on his head, removing his most prized accessory, his league cap. Misty was stunned and touched beyond words by what he was doing, gasping as he took off the cap and put it on her head, making it ever harder to say goodbye.   
"I'm...not the kind not to repay a debt. This is...for your bike. Think of me...when you're out there fighting a gym leader...and know that...wherever you are, I'm with you."   
At that very moment, Ash grabbed Pikachu and ran down the plain, not wanting to look back, his heart racking with the ultimate sadness. He had started his journey from the very first day with her, her presence was the only thing next to Pikachu that he could count on. Over the course of his adventures, he gained feelings for her, until finally he was forced to deal with them. At that very moment, he realized his journey would've been meaningless without her. He stopped in one spot, looking at the rising sun, pausing and looking down, crying...crying until he heard a call in the distance.   
"Ash!!! Ash!!!"   
"Misty?!" he said, turning back to look at her, the sun glimmering her across her face and body.   
"Ash...come with me!!!"   
Their hearts soaring, they ran to each other, for he saw in her the greatest friend, a true friend, and she saw in him the very same. He had made an incredible sacrifice for her, putting his league cap on her head, showing he had wanted to be with her always, no matter what. They let go of Pikachu and Togepi, and hugged powerfully, finally falling onto the yellowed plains together as the sun rose, their silhouettes adorning the tall grass as their faces came ever closer, finally locking in their most heartfelt kiss. She froze in his arms at first, finally sinking into and falling limp from the passion of his lips. She moaned in passion as he held her tightly, holding her back and waist as he continued, finally breaking away from her lips and brushing away her tears. They sat back up, where he sat behind her, looking towards the dawn. Pikachu and Togepi joined them, their sorrow fastly turning into happiness as they saw their trainers loving each other like never before.   
"One day, we'll be able to understand how we feel," Misty whispered lovingly.   
"Yeah, one day, we can be like this...always," Ash said as she reclined into his chest as they watched the sunrise, the dawning of a brand new chapter in their lives.   
"I guess this means you're buying dinner..."   
"What?! But I gave you my league cap already!"   
"That's good for starters, but you've gotta learn how to treat a girl!"   
"But we're not even official yet!"   
"I think that kiss said plenty!"   
"Did not! Did too! Did not! Did too!" was all that was heard throughout the day, as the sands of time smiled down upon them in blessing. 

**THE END**


End file.
